WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Hina) - A former American ambassador in charge of war crimes issues, David Scheffer, said the United States would not threaten Croatia with sanctions due to Zagreb's challenging of a UN war crimes tribunal
indictment against General Janko Bobetko.
WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Hina) - A former American ambassador in charge of
war crimes issues, David Scheffer, said the United States would not
threaten Croatia with sanctions due to Zagreb's challenging of a UN
war crimes tribunal indictment against General Janko Bobetko. #L#
Scheffer believes that Washington will seek a solution to the
dispute between Croatia and the ICTY through diplomacy, which, as
he told Voice of America, would not be good news for ICTY Chief
Prosecutor Carla del Ponte as she would like that pressure be
exerted on Croatia through sanctions.
Scheffer is confident that tribunal's prosecution will not abandon
the indictment and will persist in Bobetko's appearance before ICTY
judges to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
In light of the seriousness with which the Croatian government is
challenging the indictment, the former US diplomat predicted a very
strong defence of General Bobetko in case of his appearance before
the judges.
He said that the government could render the defence stronger with
its documents, and that in case the indictment was unfounded there
should be a certain degree of confidence in Gen. Bobetko's victory
in the dispute. It would, therefore, be better for him to appear
before the tribunal rather than avoid trial, said Scheffer.
The American ambassador believes Croatia does not stand good
chances to contest the indictment through the evaluation of its
compliance with the country's Constitution.
Scheffer said the tribunal did not question the legality of the
Medak Pocket operation, for which Bobetko is indicted, but was
focusing on the ways in which the military actions during which war
crimes were committed had been carried out.
(hina) ms