Press Release . Communiqué de presse
(Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)

CC/PIO/270-E
The Hague, 4 December 1997

ALEKSOVSKI CASE:

TRIAL DATE TO BE DISCUSSED AT A CLOSED STATUS CONFERENCE
SCHEDULED FOR 9 DECEMBER 1997

On Wednesday 3 December 1997, Trial Chamber I-bis, consisting of Judge Rodrigues (Presiding), Judge Vohrah and Judge Nieto Navia, scheduled for Tuesday 9 December a closed Status Conference to hear the Parties on various matters preliminary to the actual trial of Defendant ALEKSOVSKI .

These matters are the following:
- the communication by the Prosecution of witnesses’ statements and other possible documentary evidence which will be relied on during the trial;
- the number of Prosecution witnesses;
- the estimated length of the presentation of the Prosecution case;
- the expert witnesses, if any;
- the indication by the Defence of any legal or factual points in the indictment which it will not challenge, the points which it will challenge and the main outline of its case;
- the trial date and other scheduling matters.

Background information

On 27 November, the Defence Counsel for the Accused filed a Motion requesting that a trial date be set (see press release 268).

On 3 December, the Prosecution filed its Response: "the Prosecution has no objection to the Defence request. However the Prosecution requests 28 working days notice of the trial date in order to make the necessary arrangements(...) so that witnesses will be available and ready to testify. (...)". Accordingly, the Prosecutor submitted that "a trial commencement date should not be set before the middle of January 1998".