EU SENDS LETTER TO POTENTIAL CANDIDATES ABOUT NON-EXTRADITION OF U.S. CITIZENS

ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) - The EU has sent a letter to all countries aspiring to become members of the Union regarding demands by the U.S. to sign bilateral agreements on the non-extradition of U.S. citizens to the International Criminal Court, Croatian Television reported on Wednesday evening. #L# The letter, signed by EU's commissioner for foreign affairs Chris Patten and Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Papandreou, the chairman of the Union's Council of Ministers, tells the EU aspirants if they wish to access the EU they must enable the respect of values and objectives that the EU sets. Regarding the status of the International Criminal Court, things are absolutely clear because the court enjoys the Union's full support - both political and financial, the letter says. Commenting on the problem, Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Simonovic told Croatian Television that Croatia was certainly keeping the EU's directives in mind and would continue to do so. He announced talks with the U.S. Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan on Wednesday responded in the negative when asked whether he had received the letter from the EU's commissioner and the Greek foreign minister. Asked by reporters about the letter and claims that the letter reminds Croatia about the EU's stance, Racan said that Croatia was quite familiar with it. The "Vjesnik" daily published an open letter by U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Lawrence Rossin on Wednesday in which he points out that the U.S. is not compelling Croatia to choose between the U.S. and the EU. In the letter Ambassador Rossin wrote that there were no legal barriers to sign a bilateral agreement on non-extradition between Croatia and the U.S. because an agreement like that would not offend the Roman Statute which established the International Criminal Court. The U.S. is not blackmailing Croatia, Rossin stressed in his letter. (Hina) sp it sb