Mesic was speaking to the press at the launch of Laurence Rees' book "Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution" at Zagreb's National University Library.
He said he briefed del Ponte about the course of the operation which engages all Croatian intelligence services and the entire Interior Ministry n closing the Gotovina issue.
Mesic said he informed the chief prosecutor that "we have checked all leads and we certainly have results, but we still haven't located Ante Gotovina".
He said that after the actions that have been taken, del Ponte believed in Croatia's success and credibility in the settlement of the issue. He added, however, that del Ponte expected the runaway general to appear before the UN court.
Mesic said he replied in the negative when the chief prosecutor asked him if Hague tribunal investigators were perceived in Croatia as foreign spies. "I told Mrs del Ponte that we see the investigators from The Hague as representatives of an institution which was established also through Croatia's will and that their presence in Croatia represents the implementation of international commitments."