ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - The Croatian government dismisses objections about its non-cooperation with The Hague-based war crimes tribunal (ICTY) and will invite the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, to visit Zagreb, a
Vice-Premier and deputy chairman of the Council for Cooperation with the ICTY, Goran Granic, told reporters in Zagreb on Thursday.
ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - The Croatian government dismisses
objections about its non-cooperation with The Hague-based war
crimes tribunal (ICTY) and will invite the tribunal's chief
prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, to visit Zagreb, a Vice-Premier and
deputy chairman of the Council for Cooperation with the ICTY, Goran
Granic, told reporters in Zagreb on Thursday. #L#
"The government has decided that singling out Croatia for non-
cooperation with the tribunal is unnecessary, we see no reason for
that and dismiss such objections as unfounded," Granic said after
the closed part of a government session, at which a report on
cooperation with the ICTY was adopted.
Croatia is aware of its obligations and problems which crop up in
the process of cooperation are normal and are caused by unclear
demands or objective difficulties obstructing the transfer of
certain documents, Granic said.
He reiterated that Croatia was fulfilling its obligations and would
continue doing so.
At a briefing with foreign diplomats in The Hague in February, Del
Ponte said that she was not satisfied with all levels of cooperation
with Croatia.
Granic told reporters that along with adopting the said report, the
government today also bound competent ministries and other
services to do their part of the job.
Most of the duties refer to the transfer of documents but since the
topic is war, there are objective problems which make it difficult
to find them, Granic said when asked about media reports about the
establishment of a special squad in charge of arresting General
Gotovina.
The Interior Ministry is doing its job and reporting to the
government and the government is occasionally reporting to The
Hague and will continue doing so, Granic said.
"The government is not in charge of that," he said when asked if the
government had requested tapping the phones of Gotovina's family
and friends.
He said that the government had not discussed the possibility of
offering a reward for information which could lead to Gotovina's
apprehension, but added that such an idea was being considered by
those in charge of the matter.
He added that offering a reward was not rare in police practice.
Granic confirmed that the government had received informal
objections from The Hague regarding the conduct of General Janko
Bobetko, who recently received visitor delegations in the hospital
where he is being treated.
There was no written objection, but an informal one did arrive,
Granic said, adding that "the chief prosecutor was equally
surprised at Bobetko's conducts as we were".
Asked whether new indictments from The Hague had arrived in Zagreb
and if Zagreb expected them, Granic said briefly "No".
Del Ponte could arrive in Zagreb in late March, Granic said.
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