HDZ CATEGORICALLY OPPOSED TO EQUALISING VICTIM AND AGGRESSOR

ZAGREB, July 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party applauds the apprehension and extradition of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to the Hague-based war crimes tribunal, and the extending of his indictment to war crimes committed in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The party categorically opposes the creation of an atmosphere and policy of equalising the victim and the aggressor, the party's secretariat said in a statement today. The HDZ urged the Declaration on the Homeland Defence War passed by the Croatian Parliament be respected. The Declaration binds all state officials and clearly establishes the character of the Homeland Defence War which was a just, defensive and a liberation war. "The HDZ categorically opposes requests for the extradition and possible extradition of Croatian army officers and veterans, founded on unreliable evidence, especially those from the anti- Croatian campaign arsenal or on the foundations of revisionist assessments on the character of the Homeland Defence War, that is, the civil war doctrine," the HDZ said in the statement. (hina) lml