Prosecutor Jallow made the remarks on 11 September, in Grabovica and Bradina, where he also expressed his deep sympathies over the tragedies that took place in those localities.
In respect of the former Yugoslavia, the UNMICT Prosecutor is expected to manage the appeals cases in respect of major cases relating to Radovan Karadic, Ratkto Mladic, Goran Hadzic and Vojislav Seselj.
He is also expected to provide support to local investigations and prosecutions in that region arising from the conflict in the 1990s.
Prosecutor Jallow held meetings with the ministers of foreign affairs and justice, and with other officials.
In the meetings, the prosecutor discussed the transition of functions, jurisdictions and powers from the ICTY (former Yugoslavia Tribunal) to the UNMICT.
He also signed memoranda of understanding with the chief prosecutors of the three states regarding the framework for continued assistance of his office in facilitating access to evidence in The Hague.
He also met the chief prosecutors of the three states, including Vladimir Vukcevic, Goran Salihovic and Dinko Cvitan, to discuss issues of cooperation.
The UNMICT is mandated to take over and continue the functions of both the ICTR (Rwanda) and ICTY (Former Yugoslavia) Tribunals and has already started that process.
According to an official press release from the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (UNMICT), Justice Hassan Bubacar Jallow, Prosecutor of the UNMICT, a Gambian national, concluded on 13th September 2014 his first official visit to the former Yugoslavia as Prosecutor of the UNMICT.
During his weeklong visit, the Prosecutor and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations travelled to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the prosecutor also visited the memorial sites in Srebrenica, Bradina and Grabovica and paid his respect to the victims.
While in Srebrenica on 10 September, Prosecutor Jallow said: “What happened here and in Rwanda could have been stopped. We must learn a lesson from this to ensure that such crimes never happen again.”
Justice Jallow has been Prosecutor of the ICTR (Rwanda Tribunal) since 2003, and was appointed by the UN Security Council concurrently as Prosecutor of the UNMICT on 1st March 2012.
