MESIC'S OFFICE: BLEWITT MET MESIC TO APOLOGISE OVER STIPETIC CASE

ZAGREB, July 8 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic's office has confirmed that Mesic and ICTY Deputy Chief Prosecutor Graham Blewitt met on 29 June, but it has denied allegations that during that meeting Blewitt informed Mesic about a scenario of the apprehension of Croatian generals. A spokeswoman for Mesic's office, Danijela Barisic, on Sunday said it was true that the Croatian head of state had received the ICTY official Blewitt at his own request last Friday. She explained that Blewitt's intention was to offer his apology as during previous talks between ICTY prosecutors and the Croatian army's headquarters chief-of-staff, General Petar Stipetic, he regarded him as an indictee, but later Blewitt saw that he was wrong. It was proved that Stipetic was an honourable man and officer of the Croatian army, which Mesic had before asserted, Barisic said. She refuted allegations made by an association called 'HONOS' that on that occasion Mesic had been briefed about the scenario of the arrest of Croatian generals. According to a statement the HONOS (the society for the protection of the Homeland War's values) issued on Sunday, it claims that "it possesses the checked information that on 29 June Blewitt paid a secret visit to Mesic in Pantovcak (the President's office) and notified him in detail of the scenario of the arrest of Croatian generals." (hina) ms