Former Serbian President Milan Milutinovic has voluntarily surrendered to the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague. BBC News Online considers why he is wanted, and how events could unfold.

When was Mr Milutinovic indicted and what for?

Mr Milutinovic was indicted in May 1999, together with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and three other top officials in connection with alleged crimes committed in Kosovo.

The two charges against him are:

• Crimes against humanity
• Violations of the laws or customs of war

According to the indictment, the five men bear direct responsibility for the deportation of 800,000 Kosovo Albanians and the murders of about 600 individually identified ethnic Albanians.

As well as murder, the counts against him include one of deportation, and one of persecution on political, racial and religious grounds.

"The killings occurred in a widespread or systematic manner throughout the province of Kosovo and resulted in the deaths of numerous men, women, and children," says the indictment.

The three other individuals named in the same indictment are former Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic, the Yugoslav army's former chief-of-staff, General Dragoljub Ojdanic, and former Serbian Interior Minister Vlajko Stojiljkovic.

Mr Stojilkovic shot himself in April 2002.

Who is Mr Milutinovic?

Mr Milutinovic was born on 19 December 1942 in Belgrade.

Throughout his career he held numerous high-level posts in the Yugoslav Federation and Serbia, and was a close ally of Mr Milosevic.

I don't have fear personally, because I don't feel guilty and I think it's a mistake Milan Milutinovic

He was appointed Yugoslav foreign minister in August 1995 and took part in the Dayton talks which finally brought peace to Bosnia.

He became Serbian president in December 1997 and remained in the post until his term expired in late 2002, when he lost his immunity from prosecution.

How was he involved in events in Kosovo?

The charges relate to the first half of 1999, when Mr Milutinovic was a member of Yugoslavia's Supreme Defence Council and participated in decisions regarding the use of the Yugoslav Army.

Mr Milutinovic, however, says he had no real power.

"I don't have fear personally, because I don't feel guilty and I think it's a mistake," he said in an interview in June 2001.

After Mr Milosevic's fall from power in October 2000, Mr Milutinovic offered to co-operate with the new Yugoslav authorities.

Although remaining president of Serbia, he kept a very low public profile.

What is the next step?

Mr Milutinovic has denied any involvement in war crimes and has indicated he is going to The Hague voluntarily.

The Serbian Government expects him to be allowed to remain a free man until the start of his trial, citing agreements with the tribunal.

They also believe that Mr Milutinovic, who has a heart condition, should be released on bail and allowed to return to Belgrade pending his trial.

But is unclear whether the tribunal will agree to these requests.