ZAGREB, Oct 17 (Hina) - The government cannot accept threats of sanctions as it cooperates with the Hague war crimes tribunal and does not obstruct its work, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Oct 17 (Hina) - The government cannot accept threats of
sanctions as it cooperates with the Hague war crimes tribunal and
does not obstruct its work, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan
said on Thursday. #L#
Talking to reporters after a parliament presidency session, Racan
said he did not want to comment on and knew nothing about media
speculation alleging that Croatia would be exposed to sanctions if
it failed to present General Janko Bobetko with an indictment from
The Hague in a matter of hours.
Croatia is presently faced with mounting pressure, of which the
government is aware, as it warned that pressures might ensue, said
Racan.
"I hope, however, that these pressures won't end in sanctions. This
is what the government is now trying to avert with its sensible
activity," he added.
Racan said the government was urging "our friends in Europe, who
declare they wish to support a stable Croatia, to understand that
the government wishes to resolve the problem within the cooperation
with the Hague tribunal."
This cooperation includes also the use of all legal means and
possibilities offered by the tribunal's statute and rules, he
added.
Racan recalled the tribunal had set up a council of appeals which
would rule on appeals submitted by the Croatian government, and
announced the government was willing to accept the council's
ruling.
Asked if he had information that the European Union might follow
Great Britain's decision to postpone the ratification of Croatia's
Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Union, Racan was
hopeful it would not happen.
"Every pressure, however, is harmful, especially some milder
sanctions," he said.
The government realises that the obstruction of the Croatian
citizens' legitimate wish for Euro-Atlantic integration,
primarily into the EU, may constitute a blow and be harmful to
Croatia, but the main issue is what can be done about it at this
moment, said Racan.
He told reporters he had told the parliament presidency and bench
leaders that those who wished to help Croatia should do so with
concrete steps and smaller pressures on Bobetko.
Asked if the 83-year-old retired general should be hospitalised,
Racan said he respected what Bobetko's doctors told him, namely
that hospitalisation was necessary. Other motives and how much the
government would benefit from it are unimportant, he added.
"I'm sorry this is happening, but it also goes to show that there is
too much politics around General Bobetko" said Racan.
(hina) ha