ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - Please note that a mistake has occurred in item HNA8640 headlined "CROATIAN PRESIDENT ENDS HIS TESTIMONY AT MILOSEVIC TRIAL BEFORE ICTY" in the eight paragraph.
ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - Please note that a mistake has occurred in
item HNA8640 headlined "CROATIAN PRESIDENT ENDS HIS TESTIMONY AT
MILOSEVIC TRIAL BEFORE ICTY" in the eight paragraph.#L#
The sentence reading: "He asked Mesic whether he, from the first
moment, advocated the extradition of Croatian Homeland War
soldiers.", should correctly read: "He asked Mesic whether he, from
the first moment, advocated the extradition of Croatian
INDICTEES."
The correct text in its entirety should read as follows:
THE HAGUE, Oct 3 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on
Thursday ended his testimony in the trial of former Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic before the Hague-based war crimes
tribunal with a statement that he always advocated positive
discrimination of minorities and that his policy never leaned on
intimidation due to someone's ethical origins. #L#
During the last half-hour of cross-examination, Milosevic tried to
discredit the Croatian President and prove the role of Croatian
authorities in the persecution of Croatian Serbs and the
disintegration of Yugoslavia. Milosevic also cited the suffering
of Serbs in Jasenovac.
Presiding judge May warned Milosevic that he could not revolve
around the same question all the time, reminding him that the
witness answered this question yesterday.
During today's cross-examination, Judge May once again tried to get
Milosevic to ask relevant question and limit his monologues.
The last question Milosevic forwarded to President Mesic today was:
"I can see that you've very well memorised this badly composed
indictment. Do you believe, working for this illegal court, that
you can avoid responsibility for crimes?"
Milosevic was interrupted by Judge May who let the amicus curiae,
attorney Branislav Tapuskovic, to continue to cross-examine the
witness.
Tapuskovic's questions referred to events from World Wars I and II.
He tried to prove the suffering of Serbs. Judge May interrupted him
saying that such questions could not help the Trial Chamber.
Prosecutor Geoffrey Nice asked Mesic about the Bobetko case.
He asked Mesic whether he, from the first moment, advocated the
extradition of Croatian indictees.
"I regard that Croatia has a constitutional law on cooperation with
the Hague-based Tribunal and that it must cooperate at all times",
Mesic said and added that Croatian government had the right to use
all legal instruments which in its opinion were necessary.
(hina) it