ICTY APPLAUDS RAJIC'S ARREST

THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - The arrest of Ivica Rajic is a desirable development of events, said a spokesman for the Hague- based U.N. war crimes tribunal (ICTY), Jim Landale, adding that there were encouraging signs in the cooperation between Croatia and the tribunal. #L# The arrest of Ivica Rajic is a desirable development of events. The tribunal expects to see Rajic's transferral soon so his trial before the tribunal could start, Landale told Hina. Rajic has been indicted as commanding officer of the second operational group of the Bosnian Croat Defence Council (HVO) from Kiseljak for being responsible for the killing of at least 16 Muslim civilians in the central Bosnian village of Stupni Dol in October of 1993. This first Bosnian Croat whom the tribunal had indicted for war crimes was on the run since 1995. He was arrested in Zagreb last Saturday. Asked about developments in the Bobetko case, Landale said there had been no news since last week and that a decision by competent judge Cornelius Agius, who issued the warrant to serve the indictment on Bobetko, was expected. The Croatian government informed the tribunal about serving the indictment on Bobetko via his attorney last Friday. Asked whether conditions were met for the suspension of the arrest warrant and extradition of General Bobetko, as envisaged by the warrant for serving the indictment, Landale said the decision rested with judge Agius. Croatian government's spokeswoman Sanja Kos said Monday that the tribunal had not yet voiced an official stand on serving the indictment on retired Croatian General Janko Bobetko. She said the tribunal could do so within a day or two. Giving an estimate on Croatia's cooperation with the ICTY in the light of the latest events, Landale said these were evidently encouraging signs. He said that the ICTY wanted to advance cooperation on other levels as well, especially when the arrest of General Gotovina was concerned. (hina) lml sb