ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The leading party in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), set up a working group following the "Bobetko case" which should help efforts to initiate strong diplomatic activities including
parliamentary activities so that Croatia can explain its position in relation to the Homeland War and the Hague-based U.N. war crimes tribunal, SDP member Zdravko Tomac told journalists on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The leading party in the ruling coalition,
the Social Democratic Party (SDP), set up a working group following
the "Bobetko case" which should help efforts to initiate strong
diplomatic activities including parliamentary activities so that
Croatia can explain its position in relation to the Homeland War and
the Hague-based U.N. war crimes tribunal, SDP member Zdravko Tomac
told journalists on Tuesday. #L#
The decision to set up the working group was brought at a session of
the SDP presidency. The group consists of Tomac and four other party
ministers -- Antun Vujic, Davorko Vidovic, Zeljka Antunovic and
Tonino Picula.
At the session, a discussion was held relating to the situation in
the country after the government rejected a Hague indictment with
an arrest warrant for General Janko Bobetko, proclaiming the
indictment as unconstitutional.
The SDP supported the government's moves and its decision to enter a
legal battle with the ICTY.
Tomac said that the working group assessed that Croatia's situation
in relation to the Hague-based tribunal was not as serious as it
first appeared, particularly because of the trial of Slobodan
Milosevic.
The trial will show that aggression was committed against the
Republic of Croatia which, Tomac believes, destroys any indictment
against Croatian generals such as Gotovina, Ademi and Bobetko as
well as attempts to proclaim military actions to liberate occupied
territory in Croatia as ethnic cleansing.
The SDP, Tomac said, will not engage in any nationalistic or anti-
national politics. The party will, as Tomac said, conduct a
political battle in which it will oppose any radicalism or
opportunism by one side that would hang its head and accept
everything the Hague dished up while others would sever any form of
co-operation with The Hague.
The SDP excludes any rash method of resolving the problems with the
U.N. war crimes tribunal including calling for a referendum. The
party is united in an opinion that Croatia must not freeze relations
with the Hague-based tribunal, Tomac said, and added there were
differences in opinion in what should be amended in the
Constitutional Law on Co-operation with the ICTY.
He estimated that the government's rejection of the indictment
against Bobetko is a precedent which has no effect on former or
future indictments that the Hague will present Croatia with. Tomac,
however, believes that not one indictment can be rejected in
advance.
The SDP wishes to hear the opinion of experts relating to any
possible amendments to the constitutional law. There is a consent
between the opposition and ruling coalition that the values of the
Homeland War should be firmly defended, but there are also some
differences of how to defend those values. Tomac announced that in
that regard Croatia could expect a huge political battle which just
emphasises the significance of an agreement in parliament.
(hina) sp it sb