Croatia should do all in its power to track down and transfer fugitive general Ante Gotovina to The Hague, Rehn told reporters in Brussels after meeting Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.
We discussed the schedule of talks between Croatia and the European Union based on the European Council's decision of December 17, 2004. The European Commission is taking practical steps to make it possible for the negotiations to start on March 17, and the negotiating framework will be put forward to the Commission on February 2 for adoption, Rehn told a joint press conference with Sanader.
Rehn announced that the negotiating framework would contain certain novelties such as clearly defined starting positions for the opening and closing of talks on individual chapters. He said that large negotiating chapters would be divided in order to ensure a speedier and more effective negotiating process, citing chapters on agriculture, justice and home affairs, and added that there would be 36 instead of 31 chapters.
The meeting also focused on Croatia's obligation to fully cooperate with the Hague tribunal, with Rehn expressing hope that Croatia would do its utmost to locate Gotovina and ensure his transfer to The Hague. Membership talks cannot start unless full cooperation is established, he stressed.
Cancellation of talks with Croatia would be a loss for everyone and a great disappointment to all countries in the region, which we would like to avoid at any cost, Rehn said, adding that Croatia's positive example was extremely important for the entire Western Balkans.
Sanader pointed out that his government was doing all in its power to resolve the last outstanding issue of cooperation with the Hague tribunal.
Sanader welcomed the decision on dividing negotiating chapters in order to ensure that membership talks proceeded more quickly and effectively, and reiterated Croatia's ambition to complete the talks in 2007.
Sanader said that the Croatian government was responsible for tracking down Gotovina on the territory of Croatia and that it had asked all EU countries and those outside the bloc to cooperate and share any useful information about the general's possible whereabouts.
Rehn said that all EU countries had an international obligation to provide such information if they possessed it.
Rehn said that the European Commission was in close contact with the Luxembourg EU presidency, preparing an assessment of Croatia's cooperation with the Hague tribunal for the EU Council. He announced that the European Commission would contact Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte in the coming weeks to evaluate the cooperation.
Asked if they had also discussed the issue of borders between Croatia and Slovenia, Rehn said that the matter was often discussed, but that it was a bilateral issue to which the two countries should find a solution by themselves.
Sanader said that Croatia and Slovenia were two friendly countries which, in addition to the border issue, also had some other outstanding issues such as those relating to Ljubljanska Banka and the Krsko nuclear power plant. He reiterated that Croatia was also in favour of a bilateral solution, but that if those efforts failed a solution should be sought through international arbitration.
The Croatian delegation includes European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, resigning Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul, and the future chief negotiator with the EU, Vladimir Drobnjak, who will hold his first technical meeting with representatives of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement.
Zuzul, Grabar Kitarovic and Drobnjak were to have met Rehn for a working dinner on Sunday, but the meeting was cancelled owing to Rehn's engagements.