ICTY CHIEF PROSECUTOR HANDS IN TWO SEALED INDICTMENTS TO CRO GOVT

ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina) - The chief prosecutor of the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Carla del Ponte, said today her reason for visiting Zagreb were two sealed indictments her office handed to the Croatian government a month ago, and to which Prime Minister Ivica Racan raised a written objection. The most important reason for my visit today is that my office issued two sealed indictments with arrest warrants and the judge's signature to the Croatian government a month ago, del Ponte said after four-hour long talks with Prime Minister Racan and associates. Prime Minister Racan objected to the indictments in written form, and I am here today to explain why we cannot fulfil his requests for legal reasons, del Ponte said. Racan said the government will be discussing the two indictments at an extraordinary session, during which further steps will be decided on. A Hague tribunal's decision binds me to withhold any information about the sealed indictments and the raised objections, Racan said, but confirmed the government would continue to carry out its cooperation policy with the ICTY. (hina) lml sb