OPPOSITION'S HSP COMMENTS ON RACAN-DEL PONTE TALKS

ZAGREB, July 7 (Hina) - Commenting on the Hague war crimes tribunal chief prosecutor's claim that the Croatian government had been handed two sealed indictments with arrest warrants, the leader of the opposition's HSP said "it is obviously pure politicising and an attempt leading to the equating of guilt for the war in this region following the extradition of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic." This is the most difficult challenge the government is facing since its constitution, Anto Djapic of the Croatian Party of Rights said commenting on a meeting chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte held with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan in Zagreb on Friday afternoon.. "Croatia must not allow to have its generals prosecuted in the context of command responsibility," he said, adding the Hague tribunal resorted to this when lacking evidence that someone had personally issued an order for the committing of a crime. "The government must insist on any indictment's being founded and on personal responsibility, which is something the two handed indictments are obviously not based on given that the Croatian Prime Minister had issued a complaint which... del Ponte turned down," said Djapic. He recommends the government use the same arguments in the complaint to seek protection at the United Nations General Assembly. "If there is no support there either, the... government should seek a general consensus on cooperation with the Hague tribunal, by holding a referendum." "The Hague's persistent attempts to equate (guilt for) the war in this region run against parliament's Declaration on the Homeland Defence War" which must be the government's framework for action in relations with the tribunal, said Djapic. (hina) ha