Milosevic faces Croatia war charge

Milosevic: Bosnian charges are also in the pipeline

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands -- Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is facing new charges for war crimes committed in Croatia.

U.N. chief war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte has filed documents relating to the new charges with a judge, who will decide whether an indictment can be issued.

Del Ponte has said there is enough evidence to indict Milosevic on charges of genocide for crimes committed during the Bosnian war.

However, her spokeswoman, Florence Hartmann, told CNN an announcement had been delayed for several weeks "in order that no stone in the investigation is left unturned."

The war in Croatia erupted when the country's Serbs, backed by the Yugoslav army, rebelled against Croatia's 1991 secession from the former Yugoslavia.

Tribunal prosecutors have been investigating the deaths of hundreds of Serbs following Zagreb's 1995 offensive to recapture lands seized by Serb rebels during 1991.

Similar investigations have been carried out into alleged atrocities carried out by Serb forces.

Milosevic has been in custody in The Hague awaiting trial at the U.N. tribunal for war crimes carried out in the former Yugoslavia since June.

He has already been charged with crimes against humanity in Kosovo and charges are being prepared for alleged atrocities carried out in Bosnia.

Milosevic has appeared before the tribunal twice but on both occasions refused to recognise its legitimacy.

Three lawyers have been appointed as "friends of the court" for Milosevic but they cannot act as defence counsel.

Milosevic lost the first round of his legal fight to have the case thrown out when a Dutch court ruled was a legal body.

After Croatia emerged from war it needed time to develop away from Belgrade's rule but also built a reputation for corruption and cracking down political rights.

Last year, a new government was elected on a platform of reform.

It is now making steps to join the international community have been granted World Trade Organisation membership, and this year has begun surrendering a number of its soldiers to The Hague for war crime trials.