WASHINGTON, March 16 (Hina) - U.S. Ambassador for war crimes issues Pierre Richard Prosper on Monday hailed the surrender of Croatian generals Mladen Markac and Ivan Cermak to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia, stressing, however, Croatia still needed to resolve the issue of fugitive General Ante Gotovina.
WASHINGTON, March 16 (Hina) - U.S. Ambassador for war crimes issues
Pierre Richard Prosper on Monday hailed the surrender of Croatian
generals Mladen Markac and Ivan Cermak to the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, stressing, however, Croatia still
needed to resolve the issue of fugitive General Ante Gotovina.#L#
This is an important step and the United States hails the surrender
which in our opinion is a patriotic step, Prosper told Hina.
He said the United States believed this was a positive thing which it
would like to see in other parts of the region as well.
Retired Croatian Army generals Mladen Marka~ and Ivan ^ermak last week
surrendered to the ICTY which indicted them for crimes against
humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war committed
during and afted the 1995 Storm Operation.
Asked whether Gotovina's extradition was a condition for Croatia's
joining NATO and the European Union, Prosper said that in the decision
making process regarding Croatia's joining the EU and NATO one of the
questions would be the case of general Ante Gotovina.
Asked whether Croatia would have the support of the US in the process
of joining NATO regardless of the Gotovina issue, Prosper said that
Croatia's overall cooperation with the Hague tribunal was good, but
that the Gotovina issue was something that must be dealt with.
Commenting on relations between the new Croatian government and the US
administration, Prosper said he personally met Croatian Foreign
Minister Miomir Zuzul. He also mentioned the recent visit of the US
Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld to Zagreb and contacts on
various levels.
Things look good, he said, stressing that the US wanted to strengthen
its friendship with Croatia. He added, however, that US official
believed that the Gotovina case must be resolved.
Prosper spoke at an event dedicated to the Hague tribunal, organised
by the Voice of America on Monday.
Speaking about the exit strategy of the ICTY, which should end all
trials by 2008 and all appeals processes by 2010, Prosper said the
completion of the tribunal's work would depend on the extradition of
Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina.
The United States believes that the extradition of the three key
indictees will enable that war criminals be tried before domestic
court, the ambassador said.
The United States should by March 31 decide whether or not it would
give Serbia and Montenegro US100 million which it made conditional on
Serbia-Montenegro's cooperation with the ICTY. The cooperation
includes the extradition of Ratko Mladic, who is believed to be hiding
in Serbia, to the Hague tribunal.
Prosper said Mladic was the responsibility of the authorities in
Belgrade.
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