LUXEMBOURG, Oct 21 (Hina) - At a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, the foreign ministers of the European Union relayed strong encouragement to Croatia to cooperate with the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal, thus
reiterating their stance, but without exerting any additional pressures on Croatia.
LUXEMBOURG, Oct 21 (Hina) - At a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday,
the foreign ministers of the European Union relayed strong
encouragement to Croatia to cooperate with the Hague-based
international war crimes tribunal, thus reiterating their stance,
but without exerting any additional pressures on Croatia. #L#
In a text of conclusions adopted by the Council of Ministers,
Croatia is mentioned only in two sentences -- in the section about
the Western Balkans and in the paragraph "Cooperation with ICTY".
In these sections, all countries in the region are called on to
fully cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY), regardless of their national judiciary.
This part of the conclusions was adopted without a discussion.
The Council has confirmed that cooperation with the tribunal was an
obligation of all countries and parties in the region, regardless
of their national legislature. Failure to cooperate with the ICTY
would seriously jeopardise future advancement towards the European
Union, the conclusions say.
Recalling its conclusions of September 30, 2002, the Council
strongly encourages Croatia to fully cooperate with the
international war crimes tribunal. The Council recalls that the
respect of international law was an important part of the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) signed between
Croatia and the EU, the conclusions relating to Croatia say.
The adopted conclusions indicate that a current in favour of a more
realistic approach towards Croatia prevailed, and was supported by
most EU members under the chairmanship of Denmark, according to
information at hand.
Contrary to the stances of some countries which believe that a
"tougher" stance should be taken towards Croatia, Denmark and most
countries of the European Union assessed that it would be
counterproductive to exert too much pressure on the only country in
the region which is, in fact, cooperating, while nothing even close
to such measures is being undertaken against some other countries
which are very openly ignoring the ICTY's requests.
Cooperation with the ICTY is the sixth issue in the section of
conclusions on the subject of Western Balkans. Before it, the
Council has engaged the European Commission to begin talks on a SAA
with Albania, assessed that strong reforms were necessary in Bosnia
following general elections, mentioned elections in Serbia and
Montenegro, and called on representatives of their governments to
complete the text of a Constitutional Charter on a new joint state.
The Council also called on voters in Kosovo to cast their ballots in
the coming local elections in as large numbers as possible, and
hailed an agreement on the formation of a new Macedonian
government, which it called on to fully implement the Ohrid
Agreement and the Stabilisation and Association process.
The EU ministers concluded the section on the Western Balkans by
supporting an initiative that a conference on organised crime in
Southeast Europe be held in London on November 25, under the EU's
auspices.
(hina) lml sb