CROATIA: ICJ HAS JURISDICTION OVER LAWSUITS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA

ZAGREB, May 4 (Hina) - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has jurisdiction over lawsuits filed against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) by Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina because Yugoslavia has been bound by the Genocide Convention during its entire existence, although it has been a U.N. member only since recently, the Croatian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The ministry was commenting on a statement by a legal expert representing Yugoslavia in lawsuits Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina filed against Yugoslavia with the ICJ who said the ICJ should be declared unauthorised for lawsuits against Yugoslavia. Tibor Varadi, who is also a legal advisor to Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic, made this statement in an interview to Friday's issue of Belgrade's NIN weekly, supporting it with the fact that Yugoslavia had become a U.N. member in the meantime. "Although it became a U.N. member as late as November 1, 2000, the FRY has throughout its existence been bound by the Genocide Convention and the ICJ has jurisdiction over complaints which have been filed against Yugoslavia for violating that convention," reads the Foreign Ministry's statement. Croatia has been closely watching Yugoslavia's recent attempts to avoid ICJ's jurisdiction over the cases initiated against it at the ICJ by Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, the statement said. (hina) rml