ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) - European Parliament President Pat Cox called on Croatia on Monday to do its utmost to convince Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte of its full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, which is a
requirement for the country's membership in the European Union.
ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) - European Parliament President Pat Cox
called on Croatia on Monday to do its utmost to convince Chief
Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte of its full cooperation with the UN war
crimes tribunal in The Hague, which is a requirement for the
country's membership in the European Union. #L#
Cox told the Croatian parliament that the EU would pay special
attention to the report on cooperation between the Hague tribunal
and countries that emerged after the breakup of the former
Yugoslavia, which Del Ponte is due to submit to the UN Security
Council in mid-October.
It is inconceivable for the EU to ignore the opinion of the UN
Security Council, he said.
Speaking of Croatia's intention to expand its jurisdiction in the
Adriatic Sea, the European Parliament president said the EU was not
denying Croatia the right to do so, but advised it against making
unilateral decisions.
He called on Croatia to address sensitive border and regional
issues through dialogue and diplomatic methods, and to respect
others.
Cox stressed that the doors of the EU were open to Croatia, but that
it first had to meet all the required criteria. The Copenhagen
criteria are not negotiable, he added.
Cox arrived in Zagreb on Sunday at the beginning of his tour of
countries included in the Stabilisation and Association process.
He has met President of the Republic Stjepan Mesic, Parliament
President Zlatko Tomcic, leaders of parliamentary parties,
ambassadors of EU countries accredited to Zagreb, and Deputy Prime
Minister Goran Granic.
(hina) vm