'Russia wants to examine Milosevic post mortem

MOSCOW, Mar 13 (Reuters) Russia today pressed the UN war crimes tribunal to allow its doctors examine the post mortem of ex-Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic, who died in his cell on Friday soon after being refused treatment in Moscow.

Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying that Moscow was disappointed with the tribunal's rejection of Milosevic's request to undergo treatment in a Moscow clinic despite guarantees of his return.

''In the situation where we were distrusted, we also have the right to distrust,'' Lavrov told Russian reporters.

''We have already requested the tribunal allow our doctors to take part in the post-mortem or at least examine its results.'' Milosevic, imprisoned in the detention centre of the UN war crimes tribunal during a trial on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the 1990s, was found dead in his cell on Friday.

The initial examination showed that he died of heart attack.

''Russia was ready to offer medical treatment for Milosevic and give a 100-per cent guarantee that he would return to the Hague after the treatment,'' Itar-Tass quoted Lavrov as saying.

''We were concerned about this ... moreover Milosevic died soon after that,'' he added.

Earlier yesterday Russia acknowledged that it had received a letter from Milosevic in which he complained just days before his death that he had received inappropriate treatment.

''In this handwritten letter, Slobodan Milosevic talks about inadequate treatment by doctors of the International Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia and reiterates his request for support from Russia in getting permission to undergo treatment in a Moscow clinic,'' a Russian Foreign ministry statement said.

The statement said the letter had been handed over to the Russian embassy in the Netherlands on Saturday and received in Moscow yesterday.

REUTERS SB PM1939