ZAGREB, Jan 2 (Hina) - The Croatian Armed Forces' chief-of-staff, General Petar Stipetic, was quoted by the 'Vecernji List' as saying that he was "disposed to talk with Hague investigators" and that nobody should fear that he would
not sincerely testify about events from the Homeland Defence War in 1990s. "I would like to testify and say clearly that Croatia waged a defence war," General Stipetic said in his interview published by Tuesday's issue of the daily. He added that he however did not want to travel voluntarily to The Hague as he believed that he could give the equally good statement in Zagreb to explain all what should be expounded. I am in favour of establishing the truth as I would like to see that the Hague Tribunal can be acquainted with causes and the real situation in the 1991-1995 period, and thus it can establish what had been done and who did all what interested the Tribunal, Gen. Stipetic said. As
ZAGREB, Jan 2 (Hina) - The Croatian Armed Forces' chief-of-staff,
General Petar Stipetic, was quoted by the 'Vecernji List' as saying
that he was "disposed to talk with Hague investigators" and that
nobody should fear that he would not sincerely testify about events
from the Homeland Defence War in 1990s.
"I would like to testify and say clearly that Croatia waged a
defence war," General Stipetic said in his interview published by
Tuesday's issue of the daily.
He added that he however did not want to travel voluntarily to The
Hague as he believed that he could give the equally good statement
in Zagreb to explain all what should be expounded.
I am in favour of establishing the truth as I would like to see that
the Hague Tribunal can be acquainted with causes and the real
situation in the 1991-1995 period, and thus it can establish what
had been done and who did all what interested the Tribunal, Gen.
Stipetic said.
Asked how he had learned that the International Criminal Tribunal
for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was interested in him, Gen. Stipetic
responded that he had received the first letter, entitled as an
interview with the ICTY investigators, from President Stjepan
Mesic, Army Supreme Commander, in early December.
Commenting on the last summer's media speculations that he had been
called to go to The Hague, Stipetic said he had not believed in
rumours and that he really held that some had been playing with his
name abusing it in such context.
"But, the summons I officially received is serious matter and I
notified Premier Ivica Racan and First Deputy Premier Goran Granic
with it. Shortly after that another summons came with really
unclear definition of my status in its closing section..." the
general said.
He added that the final section of the ICTY letter read that it was
supposed that he could perpetrate (some act) and that he had perhaps
perpetrated.
"This caused some doubts of the Government's office in charge of the
cooperation with the ICTY, and the Government sent back the letter
to the Hague Tribunal for an additional explanation," he said.
Declining to comment on differences between the first and second
summons, Gen. Stipetic said it was all the same to him whether the
summons was conceived as an interview or as the call to a potential
suspect. "It is clear to me that, I as a citizen of a country that has
signed the obligation to work together with the Tribunal, must
respond to summons, and I want to give a true overview of events from
the segment of the Homeland Defence War in which I took part" he
stressed.
For the time being it is my task to prepare myself and defend with
the truth the interests of Croatia, its armed forces, and thus my
personal interests, before ICTY investigators, he added.
Speaking of a manner for preparing his defence Gen. Stipetic said he
would try to refresh his memory reading documentation he possessed
on all events and thus he would draw up the sequence of those events
so that he could give a faithful report and well-argumented
defence.
Stipetic said he had insisted that the talks with ICTY
representatives should take place in Zagreb as he maintained that
there was no reason for his appearance in The Hague. "In other case ,
others will decide on the issue," Gen. Stipetic said explaining
that he did not want travel to The Hague voluntarily as he believed
that his possible statement given in Zagreb would offer high-
quality explanation.
He refuted any allegation about his personal liability for any
irregularity in operations he had conducted as a commander.
"I actually view this summons of the Hague Tribunal as really
surprising and sent to a person who really does not feel guilty. I
have done every job very seriously and professionally and I have
never given orders that may be regarded as the violation of the
international war and humanitarian law. All who have been under my
command know very well that I have always responded harshly to any
possible deviation from the military discipline and the guidelines
of command. But if there were no reports, then I could not react and
thus I could not be held responsible for something about which I had
no knowledge. However, I do not want to prejudge. We shall see in
which issues Hague investigators are interested," Croatian general
added.
Asked whether he had already requested to get some documentation
that can be helpful for proving his innocence, Gen. Stipetic said he
had not yet talked with the Government's office about it, but he
would certainly ask to be allowed to use available documents which
exist in the Armed Forces headquarters about the operations in
question.
I shall ask to be exempt from the obligation to keep the military and
state secrets, otherwise I can hardly prove anything, he added.
He said he would like to give a public testimony before ICTY
officials. "As I have nothing to conceal, I would like that
everybody may be acquainted with the contents of my testimony so
that I can prevent possible abuses and speculations which would
probably ensue after that," Gen. Stipetic said in his interview.
(hina) ms