ZAGREB, March 10 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan on Monday stated that Croatia was prepared to co-operate with the relevant authorities outside its borders in an effort to arrest Hague indictee Ante Gotovina.
ZAGREB, March 10 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan on Monday
stated that Croatia was prepared to co-operate with the relevant
authorities outside its borders in an effort to arrest Hague
indictee Ante Gotovina. #L#
"Croatia is prepared to co-operate with bodies outside the country
that could help us in realising our obligation towards the Hague
Tribunal to arrest Gotovina, Racan said on Croatian Radio's "How
the Government Governs" programme.
Asked by the host of the programme if the government had issued
special orders for the arrest of Gotovina, Racan answered that this
was not necessary.
"It is sufficient to leave the matter up to the relevant bodies to
investigate the best possible manner and how to organise such a
thing without politics getting too involved. That is why I do not
wish to comment on any possible methods that may be used to arrest
General Gotovina," he said.
Speaking about the latest pressure from The Hague indicating that
Croatia was not doing enough to extradite Gotovina, Racan said that
this was not the first nor the last time the matter was being
raised.
This is one of the criteria to asses Croatia's behaviour in regard
to accessing the EU, whether this is to someone's liking or not, he
claimed.
He presented the government's attitude to continue co-operating
with the Hague Tribunal and that any problems that may arise would
be resolved along the way.
The premier repeated that Gotovina could help himself and Croatia
only if he went and defended himself in The Hague, which is the only
place to deny the charges.
He said that information that Gotovina was seen in the centre of
Zagreb was irresponsible and incorrect.
Asked to comment on pressure that the government was refusing to
hand over documents requested by The Hague, Premier Racan commented
that the government had delivered a huge amount of documents,
pointing out that it was difficult to deliver documents that were
not precisely specified.
Racan confirmed that the government had once again invited Hague
chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte to visit Croatia and expected that
the invitation would be accepted.
(Hina) sp it sb