PRESIDENT MESIC WRITES TO ICTY CHIEF PROSECUTOR DEL PONTE

ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Thursday sent a letter to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Carla Del Ponte, calling on her to consider the possibility of amending or withdrawing the indictment against retired general Ante Gotovina. #L# It is a fact that the regime which was in power until 2000 did not enable General Gotovina to give a statement to ICTY investigators, which is the main reason for today's situation, Mesic says in the letter. He also informs Del Ponte that he made available to the government certain documents which may be used in the defence of General Gotovina, and which he believes shed new light on the facts established by the ICTY prosecution on the basis of available documents. "I ask of you to consider, in line with the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, the possibility of amending, i.e. withdrawing the indictment against retired general Ante Gotovina," says the president in the letter. General Gotovina is willing to give a statement to ICTY investigators and make himself available to the Tribunal also in the event the Prosecution decides, after his statement, that there are grounds for the indictment against him, Mesic said in the letter. (hina) rml sb