"Carla del Ponte's statement confirms that Croatia is cooperating fully with the Hague tribunal, but also that it is fully implementing (its) Action Plan (to improve cooperation with the UN court)," Macek told the press.
In an interview with today's EUobserver, del Ponte said she did not expect Croatia to extradite runaway General Ante Gotovina to the Hague tribunal before its EU entry negotiations were launched, but expected that Croatia would make a step forward in this issue.
Del Ponte expects "one more extra step" on the part of the Croat authorities and hopes for a breakthrough in the coming weeks.
Asked if she would insist on Gotovina's extradition as a condition for a positive assessment of Croatia, del Ponte said "I"m speaking only about full co-operation (with the tribunal)."
"Of course, the result of full co-operation is that we have indication about the location of Gotovina, or the best solution (is) that Gotovina is transferred. But the transfer of Gotovina is not the condition that the EU put on Croatia, it is full co-operation with us," del Ponte said.
She added the recent arrest of one of Gotovina's alleged allies, businessman Hrvoje Petrac, could prove crucial for changing the course of events.