ZAGREB, July 20 (Hina) - Commenting on a parliamentary discussion on cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Friday said: "The voting in the parliament
showed that the majority of the representatives were aware of reality and what decisions Croatia could make". "However, many wished to score "political points" in the discussion", Mesic told reporters during his visit to the Medika pharmaceutical company. "All of our citizens, if they were obliged to answer questions before the Hague Tribunal, are entitled to use every piece of evidence that are in their favour, regardless of who they are", Mesic said. He added this was why he does not like to speak publicly about suspected generals and admirals, lieutenants, doctors or engineers. "There are people who are suspects, and they must be provided with an opportunity to defend
ZAGREB, July 20 (Hina) - Commenting on a parliamentary discussion
on cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on
Friday said: "The voting in the parliament showed that the majority
of the representatives were aware of reality and what decisions
Croatia could make".
"However, many wished to score "political points" in the
discussion", Mesic told reporters during his visit to the Medika
pharmaceutical company.
"All of our citizens, if they were obliged to answer questions
before the Hague Tribunal, are entitled to use every piece of
evidence that are in their favour, regardless of who they are",
Mesic said.
He added this was why he does not like to speak publicly about
suspected generals and admirals, lieutenants, doctors or
engineers. "There are people who are suspects, and they must be
provided with an opportunity to defend themselves", Mesic
stressed. He reminded for instance that the military chief-of-
staff, General Petar Stipetic, had explained certain war
circumstances and was consequently freed from responsibility.
The former government and those who were in the Defence Ministry
should be asked why they did not allow suspects to defend
themselves, Mesic said.
Commenting on some claims that the purpose of Operation Storm,
which in 1995 liberated Croatian areas occupied by Serb rebels, was
ethnic cleansing, Mesic said he was often stressing that "Croatia
led a defence war in which we were jeopardised by a brutal
aggression". "There were incidents" on the Croatian side, he
conceded.
Asked whether he expects difficulties in the extradition of alleged
Hague indictee General Ante Gotovina and protests by the
Headquarters for the Protection of the Dignity of the Homeland
Defence War in the peak of a tourist season, he answered they were
entitled to make threats. He added they should bear in mind that no
one must endanger the vital interests of the state and its
citizens.
Asked whether he was familiar with Gotovina's whereabouts, Mesic
answered "I have not heard from him".
(hina) np ha