Indicted Serb army commander surrenders

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- A top Serbian general accused of playing a role in the murder of hundreds of Kosovo Albanian civilians during a 1998-99 crackdown surrendered Thursday to the U.N. tribunal in the Hague.

Gen. Vladimir Lazarevic has been detained and will have an initial appearance scheduled in several days, the tribunal said in a statement.

Lazarevic's indictment said troops under his command "murdered hundreds of Kosovo Albanian civilians as part of a widespread and systematic campaign of brutality and violence that resulted in the forced deportation of approximately 800,000 Kosovo Albanian civilians."

Lazarevic has denied any wrongdoing, insisting he was only carrying out his duty during a separatist insurgency.

The government of conservative Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica praised Lazarevic's decision, pledging financial and legal assistance to him and his family.

Despite stern warnings from Washington and Brussels that all suspects must be extradited if Serbia hopes to join NATO and the European Union, Kostunica has been reluctant to arrest suspects, instead coaxing them to surrender.

Lazarevic's surrender, however, has only slightly eased demands that Serbia extradite all war crimes suspects in return for financial and political support. About a dozen more suspects are believed to be hiding here, possibly including Bosnian Serb wartime commander Gen. Ratko Mladic.

All have been indicted in connection with the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, when Serbia was ruled by former President Slobodan Milosevic.

Lazarevic's lawyer, Mihajlo Bakac, said his client "could not deal with the indictment earlier because of serious health problems, a medical condition which requires treatment."

He did not elaborate, but recent media reports said Lazarevic was suffering from circulatory problems and an ailment affecting blood vessels.

Nearly all political parties, as well as the influential Serbian Orthodox Church, have praised Lazarevic's decision to surrender as "heroic and honorable."

Two other Serbian generals indicted in connection with the Kosovo war, Nebojsa Pavkovic and Sreten Lukic, have indicated they would also surrender, but claimed they were too ill to travel to The Hague any time soon.

The fourth, Gen. Vlastimir Djordjevic, is said to be hiding in Russia.