RACAN CONFIRMS ICTY CHIEF PROSECUTOR TO ARRIVE IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Jan 8 (Hina) - Chief prosecutor of the international war crimes tribunal, Carla Del Ponte, will arrive in Zagreb next Monday, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan told a regular news conference Monday. This will be an opportunity to solve many issues concerning relations between Croatia and the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Racan added. Asked whether he was prepared for the situation of the chief prosecutor raising indictments against Croatian generals, Racan said he did not wish to speculate on what Carla Del Ponte might bring to Zagreb when she arrives. The government will know what stance to assume in light of such possibilities, he asserted. The Prime Minister criticised the creation of an atmosphere of fear in Croatia, to which the media were contributing "bidding" with lists of suspects. This is not helpful to the country and should be resisted, Racan stressed. "We have received no lists of suspects from the Hague Tribunal, we did receive a request for a certain number of transcripts of the late President Tudjman's talks," Racan asserted, adding the government would at Thursday's session establish the status of transcripts in the Presidential Office, whereupon they will be taken by a government body. Racan said he had received President Stipe Mesic's agreement with the idea that an adequate conduct should be established towards documents and historical material of this kind. Asked to confirm that the government intended to request of NATO to provide information about the possible contamination of the Adriatic Sea by depleted uranium, Racan responded affirmatively, and explained it was the government's duty to care for the safety of lives. Asked whether the Agreement on Free Trade between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina which came into effect January 1 was functioning on the field, Racan said yes, and refused to discuss the matter further. (hina) lml sb