ZAGREB, Dec 11 (Hina) - The head of the Croatian government's Office for Cooperation with International Institutions, Tomislav Vidosevic, met on Wednesday with representatives of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) to hand them a protest
note regarding Monday's incident in Zagreb's Selska Street which was caused by SFOR soldiers.
ZAGREB, Dec 11 (Hina) - The head of the Croatian government's Office
for Cooperation with International Institutions, Tomislav
Vidosevic, met on Wednesday with representatives of the
Stabilisation Force (SFOR) to hand them a protest note regarding
Monday's incident in Zagreb's Selska Street which was caused by
SFOR soldiers. #L#
According to statements by eye-witnesses and police information,
four drunken SFOR soldiers tore down part of the Wall of Pain in
front of a barracks where SFOR troops are accommodated.
Vidosevic said that the "Government has requested the SFOR to
conduct a detailed investigation and provide the names of the
perpetrators and a statement on measures to be taken".
The Office today sent a written note of protest on behalf of the
government, Vidosevic said.
"In that note we once again mentioned the reactions the incident
caused in the Croatian public. We stressed that the Wall of Pain has
a special meaning for us, that it is a symbol of tribute to all those
who died for our homeland, particularly those who went missing,"
Vidosevic said.
"Our expectations were also expressed in a note the Foreign
Ministry yesterday sent to the SFOR Command in Sarajevo, which is
that such people are not welcome in Croatia," Vidosevic said.
He stated that the head of the SFOR's Liaison Office, Brigadier Jiri
Kuchar, had expressed regret about the incident and hope that it
would not threaten cooperation between the SFOR and Croatian
authorities.
Kuchar would not answer reporters' questions at today's meeting.
Vidosevic said that the SFOR wanted to first inform the Croatian
government and later the public about the results of its
investigation. The government has still not been given any concrete
names, Vidosevic said.
Answering a reporter's question, Vidosevic said he could not
confirm speculation that the incident was caused by British SFOR
troops. He repeated that the SFOR, i.e. countries sending their
troops on SFOR missions, had jurisdiction over SFOR soldiers.
(hina) rml