ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - New Hague tribunal indictments for war crimes committed on Croatian territory should not be expected before the autumn, a senior Croatian government official said on Wednesday on condition of
anonymity.
ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - New Hague tribunal indictments for war
crimes committed on Croatian territory should not be expected
before the autumn, a senior Croatian government official said on
Wednesday on condition of anonymity.#L#
The tribunal's prosecution is investigating crimes committed
during the Pocket of Medak and Storm operations.
The government source said that recent media speculation about new
indictments against former civil and military officials were
related to March 31, the deadline Washington has given Belgrade to
meet commitments to the Hague tribunal as a prerequisite for the
resumption of U.S. assistance.
Asked if chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte had expressed willingness
to change the indictment against Gen. Ante Gotovina, who is at
large, the source said it was possible, but that she made it
conditional on Gotovina's surrender or extradition.
Croatia maintains the Gotovina indictment was forced to coincide
with the extradition of former Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic, in order to create the impression that all former
Yugoslav sides were being treated equally, the government source
said, but added the prosecution was aware that some points from the
indictment did not hold water.
Gotovina's attorney Luka Misetic told national television on
Tuesday evening the chief prosecutor had an "ethical duty" to re-
examine the indictment and withdraw it as unfounded.
The government plans to appoint in the autumn a person who will be in
charge of cooperating with the Hague tribunal on evidence
pertaining to the Croatian part of the Milosevic trial, the source
concluded.
(hina) ha