Del Ponte and Barroso did not talk to the press after the meeting. A source close to the European Commission said Del Ponte informed Barroso of the work of the Hague tribunal and her office, the trials and the problem of insufficient cooperation of former Yugoslav countries, including Croatia, with the tribunal.
Del Ponte said that in Croatia's case, full cooperation meant the apprehension of fugitive General Ante Gotovina, the same source reported.
Barroso said he hoped Croatia would establish full cooperation with the tribunal, the source said, stressing that it would be very difficult for the EC and the European Council to greenlight the start of Croatia's EU entry talks on 17 March if the ICTY reported lack of full cooperation.
Croatia's full cooperation is important as a test and an example for other countries in the region, the source said.
Earlier today, Del Ponte took part in a meeting of the Peace Implementation Council for Bosnia-Herzegovina and held talks with the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.