ZAGREB, Feb 14 (Hina) - Croatia expects international factors to continue supporting democratic reforms in the country, spokesman for the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Goran Rotim, said in the wake of a letter by Council of Europe's
Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer about political events in the country in connection to the case of General Mirko Norac. Rotim pointed out a mistake in the letter, the fact that General Norac was not sought out by the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal, and was therefore not Croatia's international obligation. Schwimmer expressed concern with the events which could be seen as a dangerous expression of nationalism and manipulation of patriotic sentiments by certain political powers in Croatia. He called on Croatian authorities to maintain their resoluteness in cooperating with the Hague tribunal. Being a member of the Council of Europe and UN, Croatia must respect the rule of law and
ZAGREB, Feb 14 (Hina) - Croatia expects international factors to
continue supporting democratic reforms in the country, spokesman
for the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Goran Rotim, said in the wake of
a letter by Council of Europe's Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer
about political events in the country in connection to the case of
General Mirko Norac.
Rotim pointed out a mistake in the letter, the fact that General
Norac was not sought out by the Hague-based international war
crimes tribunal, and was therefore not Croatia's international
obligation.
Schwimmer expressed concern with the events which could be seen as a
dangerous expression of nationalism and manipulation of patriotic
sentiments by certain political powers in Croatia.
He called on Croatian authorities to maintain their resoluteness in
cooperating with the Hague tribunal.
Being a member of the Council of Europe and UN, Croatia must respect
the rule of law and closely cooperate with the war crimes tribunal,
particularly in fulfilling its requests for the surrender and
extradition of indictees, Schwimmer asserted, expressing hope the
events surrounding the Norac case will be resolved quickly and in
line with the law.
We expect of international factors to continue supporting
democratic reforms in Croatia, as this is the only way we can
expedite an end to occurring traumatic and stretched Croatian
transitions.
Asked to explain why Schwimmer connected protests about Norac and
Croatia's commitments concerning the war crimes tribunal, as the
trial against the retired general is being carried out before a
Croatian court and the international tribunal is not involved,
Council of Europe's spokesman Dimitri Marchenkov told Hina
Wednesday the Secretary-General's message was that political
powers in some countries of the former Yugoslavia should not
exploit the issue of processing war crimes or cooperation with the
tribunal as an instrument in mutual political conflicts.
Countries of the former Yugoslavia have an obligation to cooperate
with the international criminal tribunal and process war crimes.
The Council of Europe is concerned when such action causes protests
disrupting the normal functioning of life, Marchenkov stressed.
(hina) lml sb