ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan has promised to representatives of Homeland War associations that Gen. Janko Bobetko will not be extradited to the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal, the president of the HVIDR-a
association of disabled war veterans, Damir Varazdinec, said on Monday.
ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan has promised to
representatives of Homeland War associations that Gen. Janko
Bobetko will not be extradited to the Hague-based UN war crimes
tribunal, the president of the HVIDR-a association of disabled war
veterans, Damir Varazdinec, said on Monday. #L#
Speaking to reporters after meeting Racan, Varazdinec said that the
PM's answer to the question whether Bobetko would be extradited was
negative but that Croatia had to be ready for the possible
consequences of that decision.
Varazdinec said the veterans' associations were dissatisfied with
today's meeting as they were given no guarantees that the
accusations against Bobetko would be rejected or that he would not
be extradited.
The PM only made a promise, said Varazdinec.
He told reporters Racan assured him that three new indictments were
not delivered to the government.
Varazdinec appealed on veterans' associations to support the
government if Bobetko was not extradited, as Racan and his deputy
Goran Granic assured them.
In the contrary, the associations will prevent the extradition of
the retired 83-year-old general by all democratic means, said
Varazdinec.
Veterans' associations maintain Bobetko cannot be extradited at
any price as his innocence is beyond question, Varazdinec said,
adding that the associations would like the Bobetko defence to be
used to work on the defence of the previously accused Generals Ante
Gotovina and Rahim Ademi.
The indictment against Bobetko, a former military chief-of-staff,
is not an indictment against Bobetko but against the Homeland War,
said Varazdinac. If the third ranked man in the military hierarchy
is accused, then all commanders may be accused, he said.
(hina) ha sb