The fundamental – and frank – questions underpinning this panel discussion are: “What is the significance of the Tribunal’s work in the region of the former Yugoslavia?” and “How can other international courts and tribunals best make use of the Tribunal’s experience in dealing with their own affected regions?” It is with these questions in mind that the panel will discuss three distinct elements of the ICTY’s work pertaining to the region. The first of these is the Tribunal’s mandate, namely what it was meant to achieve in the region – and conversely what it was not meant to achieve and never could have achieved, given its nature as a court of law and how to better manage expectations of affected communities. Second, with reference to the experience of the ICTY, the panel will discuss the nature and extent of the contribution that an international court or tribunal is capable of making in creating an historical record and thereby preventing denial of the facts. Finally, the panel will discuss the ICTY’s experience and contribution to the region through cooperation with national authorities and legal systems, referral of cases, enforcement of arrest warrants, and capacity building.

Moderator:
David Scheffer, Professor of Law at Northwestern University and former United States Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues
Panellists:
Aleksandar Kontić, former Legal Officer, Immediate Office of the ICTY Prosecutor
Lord Paddy Ashdown, former High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nerma Jelačić, Deputy Director, Commission for International Justice and Accountability and former Head of Communications, ICTY
Hrvoje Klasić, Assistant Professor at the Department of History, University of Zagreb
Jelena Krstić, Outreach and Fundraising Director, Humanitarian Law Center