Full cooperation means that Croatia, just like any other country, must step up its efforts and do all it can to locate, arrest and extradite the remaining indictee, General Ante Gotovina, Rehn said in an interview with the BBC.
If Gotovina is within reach of Croatian authorities, and the Hague tribunal claims he is, he must be found, apprehended and handed over to the tribunal, he added.
The EU commissioner noted that the fact that Serbia and Montenegro had handed over 12 indictees to The Hague in the last few months and Bosnia and Herzegovina eight indictees showed that the policy of setting conditions was producing results, which he said was very important for the implementation of the law and fulfilment of international obligations.
Asked how a possible indefinite postponement of entry talks with Croatia after the summer might affect the entire region, Rehn said that the EU was ready for the talks and that they would start when Croatia was also ready.
In other words, we are ready. We have already adopted a negotiating framework and we can open the talks the day after Croatia proves that it is fully cooperating with the tribunal. And the message to the region is: full cooperation is necessary in order for accession talks to start on time, the commissioner said.
Rehn concluded by saying that Croatia had now taken things more seriously, but that now the EU must wait for the evaluation by the Hague tribunal of Croatia's full cooperation. I hope it will be that way and that we will soon open talks with Croatia, he added.