The 64-year-old Karadzic, who is conducting his own defence to 11 charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, was again absent from the courtroom, having boycotted proceedings on the opening day Monday.

Karadzic, who denies all charges relating to the Bosnian war, insists he needs more time to prepare his defence

"The chamber is of the view that this hearing can proceed in his absence," said presiding judge O-Gon Kwon as the hearing at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) reopened.

The judge said that Karadzic had chosen not to exercise his right to be present and "must therefore accept the consequences".

Proceedings opened with prosecutor Alain Tieger beginning to lay out the case against Karadzic.

"This case is about that supreme commander, a man who harnessed the forces of nationalism, hatred and fear to implement his vision of an ethnically separated Bosnia: Radovan Karadzic," he told the court.

Among the charges, Karadzic is accused of being behind the massacre of more than 7,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and youths in Srebrenica in July 1995.