CROATIAN GOVERNMENT SATISFIED WITH MILOSEVIC'S EXTRADITION

ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic conveyed on Friday on behalf of the government and himself satisfaction with former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's extradition to the Hague war crimes tribunal. "We firmly believe the extradition of... Milosevic is only the beginning of the prosecution and surrender of those most responsible for crimes committed during aggression on... Croatia," Granic said in a statement delivered to Hina. "The fact that this is the main initiator and architect of the aggression and wars in this region, whose attempt to implement the notion of a Greater Serbia set in motion a spiral of horror and a chain of horrendous crimes gives special weight to this event," said Granic. It is not necessary to remind that some of those crimes represent the gravest in Europe's modern history, he added. The statement reads the government is confident the indictment against Milosevic will be expanded to include crimes committed in Croatia. In this respect, the government is in intense cooperation with the Hague tribunal's prosecutor's office in gathering evidence about the war crimes that were committed. Granic says the extradition of Milosevic confirms the Hague war crimes tribunal has started tackling what represents the core and cause of all the crimes committed during the Greater Serbia conquest wars on ex-Yugoslavia's territory. "I hope this will additionally affirm that tribunal and the extradition act at least in part satisfy the many victims and their families," read the deputy PM's statement. (hina) ha