United Nations, Aug 29: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has appointed Hassan Jallow (52), a former Gambian Supreme Court judge and solicitor-general, as the new prosecutor of the Rwandan genocide tribunal on a four-year term, in place of Carla Del Ponte, who had got mired in controversy with that country's government. However, Del Ponte has been retained as chief prosecutor of the Yugoslav Tribunal trying cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed as the country was breaking up. Her term, which was to expire on September 14, was also extended for another four years.

The Council decided to split the prosecutor's job for two tribunals despite a plea by Del Ponte to the council to ignore Annan's recommendation and allow her to hold both posts for another term. But after the Council resolution, her spokeswoman Florence Hartman said she would accept the council's decision and agree to a four-year extension as prosecutor of only one tribunal. Earlier reports had said that she might refuse to continue prosecutor of only one court.

The Council resolution also set a timetable under which both courts are to complete investigations by the end of next year and most of their work by 2008. They are to be wound up by 2010.

The Rwanda Tribunal is trying cases of genocide and crimes against humanity arising out of 1994 massacre of more than half a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus by Hutu extremists. Bureau Report