"Karadzic's position is very different from that of the generals on the ground," Dershowitz said.

Attorney Paul Williams of the Carnegie Endowment for Internation- al Peace offered a different perspective on theprospects for Karadzic's defense.

"According to international law, he isresponsible by act or omission," Williams said.

If Karadzic were to call Dershowitz again,there is some question as to whether Dershowitzwould be legally obliged to report this contact toU.S. or international authorities.

"The U.N. has no jurisdiction over me,"Dershowitz said. "It's a hypothetical, but[whether I'd have to tell the U.S. government]would depend on how he reached me."

Reactions to news of Dershowitz's potentialdefense of Karadzic ranged from resignedacceptance to perplexity among experts in thefield of Bosnian war criminals.

Williams, who has been pressuring the U.S.Defense Department to apprehend Karadzic, saidmany lawyers have claimed association with theSerb leader.

But he gave credence to Karadzic's solicitationof Dershowitz.

"Everybody's entitled to the best defensepossible," Williams said.

Morton H. Halperin, vice president of the NewYork-based Twentieth Century Fund, a public policyorganization with a special Bosnian war crimestask force, said he is not surprised that Karadzichas contacted Dershowitz.

Halperin said Dershowitz's taking on the casewould not necessarily reflect approval ofKaradzic.

"I don't think it's a moral issue at all,"Halperin said. "There's nobody, I hope, around whodoesn't think what Karadzic has done isappalling."

Dershowitz, whose clients have included O.J.Simpson and Michael Milken, said he thinks havingKaradzic stand trial is more important thanreaching "a particular verdict."

"I believe in the rule of law," Dershowitzsaid. "If someone is willing to subject themselvesto court proceeding, they ought to have a gooddefense."

He also expressed consternation at the practiceof "selective prosecution," where-by theinternational community targets some war criminalsand ignores others.

Citing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as aperpetrator who has not been pursued, Dershowitzasked, " What's the standard?