Six Bosnian Serbs on trial for Srebrenica genocide

THE HAGUE, July 14 (Reuters) Six former Bosnian Serb officers went on trial today at the UN war crimes tribunal on charges of genocide over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys.

The men have already appeared individually before the court but their indictments on charges of genocide or complicity in genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war were combined last year in a single indictment.

Chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte attended the trial.

The first day of the trial is dedicated to procedural matters.

Opening statements are expected after the court's summer recess on August 21.

The six accused -- Vinko Pandurevic, Ljubisa Beara, Vujadin Popovic, Drago Nikolic, Milorad Trbic and Ljubomir Borovcanin -- all surrendered to the tribunal.

Wartime Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic is still at large and one of the tribunal's most wanted men.

Mladic is also indicted over the Srebrenica massacre, the worst mass killing in Europe since World War Two, and the 43-month siege of Sarajevo in which more than 11,000 people died.

Two Mladic aides also named in the indictment are not charged with genocide.

Radivoje Miletic and Milan Gvero are charged with crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of wars including murder, persecution, forcible transfer and deportation.

REUTERS SHB KP1337