BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte and EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana on Thursday called upon the Croatian government to extradite General Janko
Bobetko to the Hague-based war crimes tribunal.
BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del
Ponte and EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and
Security Policy Javier Solana on Thursday called upon the Croatian
government to extradite General Janko Bobetko to the Hague-based
war crimes tribunal. #L#
Croatia will presumably fulfil its international obligations. If
indictee Bobetko is not healthy, that is if his health condition
prevents his arrest and transfer to the detention centre, the ICTY
is ready to consider his health condition and accept a temporary
release, del Ponte said after the talks with Solana.
She said General Bobetko was indicted and he must go to The Hague.
The Chief Prosecutor said all other decisions regarding Bobetko
would be made by judges.
Solana said the Croatian government was bound to do everything so
that a person indicted for war crimes appear before the
international tribunal which guarantees their fair trial.
Solana and Del Ponte also discussed a possibility of arresting
Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, two of the most important ICTY
indictees, particularly after January 1, when the EU will take the
control over the International Police Task Force in Bosnia.
According to del Ponte, Mladic is still being protected by a part of
the Yugoslav army, while Karadzic has been hiding for seven years
with the help of the police, army and politicians of the Republika
Srpska. She expressed hope that both war criminals would soon be
placed behind bars.
Del Ponte and Solana expressed optimism about a decision of the
former president of the Bosnian Serb entity, Biljana Plavsic, to
plead guilty for crimes against humanity. The ICTY Chief Prosecutor
said this was an important thing which would help the
reconciliation process in Bosnia. Solana expressed belief that one
day all war crimes suspects would be brought to justice.
(hina) it sb