ZAGREB, Oct 18 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic reiterated on Friday Croatia had to cooperate with the Hague war crimes tribunal, and that General Janko Bobetko should be enabled to answer to everything the UN tribunal charged him
with. This would enable Bobetko to defend his and the Croatian army's honour, and thus defend Croatia, said Mesic.
ZAGREB, Oct 18 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic reiterated on
Friday Croatia had to cooperate with the Hague war crimes tribunal,
and that General Janko Bobetko should be enabled to answer to
everything the UN tribunal charged him with. This would enable
Bobetko to defend his and the Croatian army's honour, and thus
defend Croatia, said Mesic. #L#
He talked to reporters while visiting a honourary-protection
battalion at a barracks in Zagreb's Tuskanac.
Mesic declined to comment on the 83-year-old general's refusal to
be hospitalised, saying he did not wish to get into what Bobetko's
family, he himself, and his attorneys were doing.
Asked what his message was to those who, unlike him, thought and
demanded that Bobetko stay at home, Mesic said, "They don't care
about General Bobetko, they should deal with their own problems".
Asked to comment on Great Britain's decision to suspend the
ratification of Croatia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement
with the European Union, Mesic voiced confidence the decision was a
reprimand that as a measure could not last long. Croatia's place is
in Europe and Croatia will join the EU and NATO, he said, adding, "I
think that's not permanent and that Great Britain, and the other
countries, will ratify that agreement".
Mesic, the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, visited the
barracks at Tuskanac accompanied by his adviser on defence and
military issues, Gen. Imra Agotic, and the military Chief-Of-
Staff, Gen. Petar Stipetic.
(hina) ha sb