CORRECTING ITEM HNA3087 HEADLINED "REACTIONS TO POSSIBLE..."

ZAGREB, Oct 16 (Hina) - Please note that a mistake has occurred in item HNA3207 headlined "REACTIONS TO POSSIBLE SANCTIONS OVER 'BOBETKO CASE'". The corrections should be made in the first, second, third and sixth paragraph of the item. The above mentioned paragraphs should correctly read: "A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INFORMATION DEPARTMENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S DELEGATION TO CROATIA said on Wednesday there had been no new developments in Croatia's relations with the EU since last Wednesday, when the EU forwarded a protest note demanding Croatia's full cooperation with the war crimes tribunal at The Hague. "INFORMATION DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE Mirela Rasic declined to comment on speculation in Croatian media..." "We cannot comment on the speculation that has appeared in Croatian print media. We can only once again refer to the CONCLUSIONS OF EUROPEAN UNION MINISTERS, DATED SEPTEMBER 30 AND the protest note forwarded by the EU," Rasic told Hina. "Rasic WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHETHER the issue of Croatia's cooperation with the tribunal WOULD be added on the agenda of a EU Council of Ministers conference next week." The correct version should read as follows: ZAGREB, Oct 16 (Hina) - A representative of the information department of the European Commission's delegation to Croatia said on Wednesday there had been no new developments in Croatia's relations with the EU since last Wednesday, when the EU forwarded a protest note demanding Croatia's full cooperation with the war crimes tribunal at The Hague. #L# Information department representative Mirela Rasic declined to comment on speculation in Croatian media to the effect that the European Union (EU) had sent an ultimatum stating that political sanctions would be imposed unless Croatia demonstrated in concrete terms by Thursday that it intended to cooperate with the UN tribunal in the case of indicted General Janko Bobetko. "We cannot comment on the speculation that has appeared in Croatian print media. We can only once again refer to the conclusions of European Union ministers, dated September 30 and the protest note forwarded by the EU," Rasic told Hina. "There have been no new developments since last week," she added. Last Friday, the EU sent the Croatian government a protest note strongly supporting the work of the Hague tribunal and urging the government to cooperate and continue honouring assumed international commitments in the case of the Bobetko indictment as well. Rasic was unable to confirm whether the issue of Croatia's cooperation with the tribunal would be added on the agenda of a EU Council of Ministers conference next week. European Integration Minister Neven Mimica, commenting on announcements of possible EU sanctions against Croatia, said there was no reason to indulge in masochism and talk about measures which might hit Croatia the most. "That is a part of the story which is certainly not on today's agenda," he told Zagreb's Radio 101. "We are serious about the warnings coming from the EU which go towards calling on Croatia to unconditionally cooperate with the Hague tribunal. We state that we are cooperating with the Hague tribunal... Our legal dispute with the prosecution's stances does not overstep the boundaries of prescribed legal procedure which the tribunal's statute enables," said Mimica. The minister also commented on Great Britain's decision yesterday to suspend the ratification of Croatia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU because of Croatia's refusal to extradite the retired Bobetko (83). "In my opinion, the Foreign Office move is hasty, as it goes towards prejudging court ruling," said Mimica. "I think this kind of pressure should ensue only if Croatia failed to act on court rulings regarding Croatia's appeal," he said. The Hague tribunal indicted Bobetko last week, accusing the former military chief-of-staff of crimes committed during 1993's Medak Pocket operation. We apologise for any inconvenience. (hina) it