The United Nations Yugoslavia tribunal in The Hague has disallowed Radovan Karadzic's request to change the lawyer representing him.

The former Bosnian-Serb leader earlier said he did not want a lawyer and would represent himself. However, last month, the tribunal assigned him the British lawyer Richard Harvey.

Mr Karadzic argues that the choice is not suitable for reasons including the fact that Mr Harvey has represented former fighters from the UÇK Kosovo Liberation Army. He says he wants a lawyer who shares his language and background.

The tribunal wants to resume the trial on 1 March. Mr Karadzic is charged with crimes including genocide following the fall of Srebrenica and war crimes during the siege of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo from 1992 to 1995.

photo: Radovan Karadzic in The Hague (ANP)