HONOS URGES GOVERNMENT TO DISCLOSE HAGUE INDICTMENTS

ZAGREB, July 24 (Hina) - The president of HONOS, an association protecting the values of Croatia's 1990s Homeland Defence War, urged the prime minister on Tuesday to immediately inform the public about the "crimes the Croatian generals the government has decided to extradite to the Hague tribunal have been charged with by the... office of the prosecutor." Nenad Ivankovic says there is not one legal or political reason to keep secret the content of indictments from the UN war-crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia given that the authorities have clearly implied the generals in question are Ante Gotovina and Rahim Ademi. "The government has the duty to inform the public about what those people are charged with, and failing to do so, it means the people in the government have a guilty conscience and are assuming the responsibility for further escalating the conflict in our society," Ivankovic told a news conference. He says the HONOS has data indicating that some senior Croatian army officials are under constant pressure to agree to "the role of Hague repenters, on the model of Hague witness Stjepan Mesic." The HONOS president resolutely dismissed speculation in some media to the effect that General Gotovina was on the run. "Claims about an escape are untrue as no competent party has formally notified General Gotovina that he is wanted," said Ivankovic. He added Gotovina was on vacation. Ivankovic announced a public promotion of Gotovina's biography to counter with "truth" the "disgraceful and immoral policy of (Ivica) Racan's government which leads to the extradition of Croatian generals." (hina) ha sb