"He will not enter a plea. He will exercise his right not to do so," lawyer Vladimir Petrovic said.

The hearing was presided by South Korean judge O-Gon Kwon who said another initial hearing would be scheduled within 30 days, adding that all parties would be notified.

Should Hadzic chose not to enter a plea at the next initial hearing, the tribunal will enter a plea of not guilty for him.

On Monday Hadzic was informed of his rights during the trial and his lawyer said the defendant "received the amended indictment" and that they "analysed it together."

Also present in court today was the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

The Hague tribunal indicted Hadzic in 2004 with 14 counts of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war committed through the murder of hundreds and persecution of thousands of Croats from occupied parts of Croatia during the Homeland War, and many other crimes.

In an amended indictment made public late on Friday, the Hague war crimes tribunal's Office of the Prosecutor accuses Goran Hadzic, former leader of Croatian Serb rebels, not only on individual but also on command responsibility.

The amended indictment leaves out the charge that Hadzic personally took part in the killing of prisoners in Dalj.

He is accused of being a participant in a joint criminal enterprise led by Milosevic that was aimed at forcibly and permanently removing Croats and other non-Serbs from one-third of Croatian territory that was occupied by Croatian Serb rebels with Belgrade's help.

Under the indictment, nearly the entire Croat and non-Serb population from that area was forcibly relocated, expelled or killed, and the final goal of the enterprise was the formation of a Greater Serbia.

After seven years on the run, Hadzic was arrested in Serbia last Wednesday and extradited to the ICTY on Friday.