PRIME MINISTER URGES GOTOVINA TO DEFEND HIMSELF IN THE HAGUE

ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Wednesday urged General Ante Gotovina to make an additional step and appear before the Hague's war crimes tribunal. The PM assessed Gotovina's chances in the case were good and announced the government would help contest unacceptable sections of the indictment. #L# "My message to General Gotovina is very clear -- in your own and Croatia's interest, make that additional step and defend yourself before the Hague tribunal. The case looks good, in my opinion, and we will help contest the accusations," Racan told reporters in the government building. The PM asserted that continuing the current state of affairs harmed both General Gotovina and Croatia, adding he was deeply convinced Gotovina would make the additional step. The tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte's reply to President Mesic did not come as a surprise to Racan. He reminded he had personally applauded the interview Gotovina gave recently to a Croatian weekly in which he said he recognised the Hague tribunal. Racan suggests Gotovina make the additional step and appear before the tribunal. Del Ponte said the same in her reply to President Mesic, which does not come as a surprise, the PM said. "If General Gotovina makes that step, the case could end in his favour," Racan assessed. He also recalled his own contesting of the indictment against the retired general, issued two years ago, when the government sent to The Hague a number of documents challenging sections of the indictment. Racan says he believes other documents which have recently come to light, will also help Gotovina. Emphasising that, two years ago, he expressed the government's readiness to become engaged in the process, the prime minister said the government accepted various forms of assistance -- that anything which might be used in defence of unacceptable charges be available to both Gotovina and the tribunal. He added his testimony and that of other officials was possible. "I am available to participate in challenging the accusations, which we believe are unacceptable," Racan said. "The important thing is that the process begins, without which changes to or withdrawing the indictment will not be possible," the PM said in reply to a reporter's question why the tribunal, which has had a number of documents for some time, has not reacted so as to review the indictment against Gotovina. Two years ago the situation in Croatia was different, so unacceptable qualifications of the Flash and Storm liberation operations were possible. Today, this is no longer possible. A lot has happened in the past two years in the tribunal, where the trial against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is especially important, Racan said. He again dismissed speculations about differences of opinion between him and President Mesic, stressing that he viewed Mesic's initiative as an attempt to help solve the Gotovina case. (hina) lml