ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - The heads of parliamentary parties, both ruling and opposition, on Wednesday positively assessed the decision by President Stjepan Mesic to request of the Hague-based international war tribunal (ICTY) to
review the indictment against Croatian General Ante Gotovina.
ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - The heads of parliamentary parties, both
ruling and opposition, on Wednesday positively assessed the
decision by President Stjepan Mesic to request of the Hague-based
international war tribunal (ICTY) to review the indictment against
Croatian General Ante Gotovina. #L#
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) deputy president Jadranka Kosor
said the president's initiative was "what the HDZ asked from the
very beginning because Gotovina's indictment contains
unacceptable allegations about ethnic cleansing. We asked that
this incrimination be dismissed and the indictment reviewed," she
said. She added that the party sought full and real truth about
events General Gotovina spoke about in his interview to the
Nacional weekly.
Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) head Anto Djapic said he applauded
anything that could help Gotovina's position. "It would be unfair
not to support this initiative," he said.
Democratic Centre (DC) president Mate Granic also hails Mesic's
initiative, believing that conditions for the revision of the
indictment have been met.
During the trial of Slobodan Milosevic it became clear that Mile
Martic of the self-proclaimed SAO Krajina had evacuated Serbs with
the help of Belgrade and that this could not be an item in the
indictment against Gotovina or anybody from Croatia. Gotovina's
indictment even mentions the names of people who were allegedly
killed, but it was subsequently established that the same people
are alive. What kind of excessive use of artillery in liberating
Knin can one speak about -- for which Gotovina has also been
indicted -- after American and allies' intervention in Iraq, Granic
asked, adding that Gotovina's statement in the interview that he
was not precisely informed about the fact that the ICTY was
interested in him, deserved a revision of the indictment.
Libra president Jozo Rados commended the initiative and believes
that it should be adjusted to the government's activities, that is,
with the council for cooperation with the ICTY.
Social Liberals' (HSLS) Dorica Nikolic said Mesic had made a "salto
mortale" in relation to the statement that "he does not want to sit
under a photograph of General Gotovina and had to prove his
innocence at The Hague".
He evidently understood what the HSLS spoke about from the
beginning -- that all generals should be treated equally and be
provided support and assistance so they do not have to go to The
Hague, Nikolic said.
Croatian Bloc head Ivic Pasalic regrets that Mesic did not change
his stand earlier because nothing changed in the meantime.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) said it was
obvious that there existed a live diplomatic activity between the
president's office and the office of the ICTY's chief prosecutor,
adding that Gotovina's status was attempting to be changed with the
aim of shaking up the HDZ prior to general elections.
Liberal Party's (LS) Zlatko Kramaric agreed with Kajin about there
being a correlation between Mesic's office and that of the chief
prosecutor and that it was probable that there were certain
guarantees that Gotovina would get the same status as enjoyed by
generals Petar Stipetic and Rahim Ademi. "I applaud every positive
step in that direction".
Ivan Ninic of the Social Democrats (SDP) said that if there was a
legal possibility of the president's initiative being realised, it
would be more than good not only for Gotovina, but also for the
entire Croatia.
Representatives of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) and Croatian
People's Party (HNS) refused to comment on Mesic's initiative.
President Mesic said today he was prepared to guarantee to the ICTY
that Gotovina would respond to any call by the tribunal if he was
given a chance to give a deposition to the Hague's investigators in
Zagreb in the capacity of a suspect.
The president said he had decided to suggest to the ICTY that the
indictment against Gotovina be reviewed after he had reread the
general's interview to Nacional and acquired additional
information which shed new light on the entire "Gotovina case".
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