Judges Tuesday rejected demands by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to be released for at least two years to prepare his defense against war crimes charges in The Hague.

Milosevic, entering the courtroom in The Hague in this Sept 26, 2003 file photo, is on trial for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s and will launch his defense after prosecutors wrap up their case around the end of the year. He told the Hague war crimes tribunal that Serbia had not played a role in the mass slaughter in July 1995. [Reuters]

Milosevic, on trial for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s, will launch his defense after prosecutors wrap up their case around the end of the year.

"I will need the conditions necessary for me to prepare my trial while at liberty," Milosevic told the U.N. war crimes tribunal at a special hearing on preparations for his defense.

"Even the barest minimum of time I would need would be in excess of two years. I need that time for preparation."

Milosevic, who says he does not recognize the court, has rejected advice from judges and prosecutors to appoint a lawyer to defend him against charges spanning three wars during almost a decade of conflict in the Balkans.

The former Serbian strongman, who has a laptop in his detention cell and two legal advisers helping him behind the scenes, has strenuously cross-examined the 230 witnesses so far called by prosecutors in a trial that began in February 2002.

Milosevic said he would need at least two years if he were to call as many witnesses as prosecutors have done and demanded free and unsupervised access to people and documents.

When his trial began, he said he planned to call witnesses including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

THREE INDICTMENTS, THREE WARS

"The accused must make the preparations for his defense while he is in custody," presiding judge Richard May said. He noted that the court had previously denied a provisional release request by Milosevic, who has been in detention since his transfer to The Hague in 2001.

"There can be no question during a trial of a break of two years," May said, adding that judges would consider how long Milosevic should be given to prepare his case.

Lawyer Steven Kay, a "friend of the court" appointed to ensure Milosevic gets a fair trial, said the accused needed adequate preparation time because of the importance of the trial.

"Too little time would seriously damage him in the presentation of his defense and may make a valid and worthwhile case on his behalf impossible," Kay said, noting that the case dealt with three indictments and involved three wars.

Milosevic could call a whole range of figures from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and elsewhere, who dealt with him in one way or another, if the court agrees that their testimony is relevant to the case.

The Clinton administration sponsored and hosted negotiations which led to the Dayton peace accord ending the 1992-1995 Bosnian war. Milosevic was Serbian president at the time and signed the agreement on behalf of Bosnia's Serbs.

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