Judges at the war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic have announced his trial will resume on July 14th, subject to the former Yugoslav president's health not deteriorating any further.
Judges said they had not decided yet whether to impose a defence lawyer on Milosevic, who will be examined by a court-appointed cardiologist to determine whether he fit enough to continue his own defence.
"There is no evidence that the accused is not fit to stand trial at all, but there is evidence that the health of the accused is such that he may not be fit to continue to represent himself," the judges said in a written statement.
The trial at the UN tribunal in The Hague had been set to resume yesterday after a four-month break, but the judges delayed proceedings due to concern about the Milosevic's blood pressure and heart complaints.
Milosevic's bouts of high blood pressure, flu and exhaustion have frequently delayed the trial, which began in February 2002. The 62-year-old faces charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Balkans in the 1990s.
A lawyer appointed to ensure Milosevic gets a fair hearing told the court yesterday it should examine his fitness to stand trial, saying his health had deteriorated.
Milosevic, who does not recognise the Hague court, wants to summon former US President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the 150 working days he has been allotted for his defence.
Milosevic has described his trial as a battle for truth against what he called politically motivated charges that were "false" and "monstrous".
Since the prosecution wrapped up its case in February, Milosevic has been working on his defence from an office with a computer, fax, telephone and filing cabinets in the tribunal's detention centre. The prosecution called around 290 witnesses.
Milosevic, who has described himself as a peacemaker in the Balkans, declined to enter a plea to the charges. Pleas of not guilty were entered on his behalf by the trial's three judges.