ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia's former foreign minister Mate Granic on Friday refuted claims made by US attorney David Rivkin, Croatia's legal representative at the International Criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
in The Hague and the International Court of Justice. Rivkin said Granic had signed four agreements with Rivkin's company "Hunton and Williams" in the period between 1995 and 1998, and had hired him to represent Croatia in The Hague. Granic told Hina Friday "somebody, including Rivkin, is trying to mix apples and oranges". Granic claims he had signed only a "lobbyist contract" with Rivkin in 1996, and had nothing to do with him since the Defence Ministry took over the dealings with Rivkin, then former vice-premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and former Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic. The current Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic confirmed after Thursday's meeting with Rivkin in Zagreb Croatia owed
ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia's former foreign minister Mate
Granic on Friday refuted claims made by US attorney David Rivkin,
Croatia's legal representative at the International Criminal
tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague and the
International Court of Justice.
Rivkin said Granic had signed four agreements with Rivkin's company
"Hunton and Williams" in the period between 1995 and 1998, and had
hired him to represent Croatia in The Hague.
Granic told Hina Friday "somebody, including Rivkin, is trying to
mix apples and oranges".
Granic claims he had signed only a "lobbyist contract" with Rivkin
in 1996, and had nothing to do with him since the Defence Ministry
took over the dealings with Rivkin, then former vice-premier Ljerka
Mintas-Hodak and former Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic.
The current Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic confirmed after
Thursday's meeting with Rivkin in Zagreb Croatia owed Rivkin's
company about US$700,000.
Granic recalled that the Foreign Ministry had hired Rivkin in 1996
at the suggestion of the Croatian Embassy in Washington and
Ambassador Miomir Zuzul, with the consent of the late Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman and the Government.
This was only for lobbyist tasks and I only signed a contract which
was valid until 1998, Granic said.
However, this contract, he stressed, had nothing to do with the
hiring of Rivkin "for Kordic, Cerkez or his hiring for the Hague
Tribunal or in connection to the suit against Yugoslavia."
Granic added that he had "not negotiated about the financial part"
of the agreement.
He stressed the last time he saw Rivkin had been in 1998.
Granic said the Foreign Ministry had been satisfied with the part of
Rivkin's contract regarding lobbying.
As part of his lobbyist work, Rivkin provided advice necessary to
the Croatian Government. The Ministry was also satisfied with
Rivkin's fares, he said.
Granic asserted his fares had been lower than the usual fares sought
by lobbyist companies in the United States.
Asked about the motive for Rivkin's claims about him, Granic said
they had had significantly differing views on Croatia's relations
with the ICTY and the law suit against Yugoslavia.
"Rivkin advocated an aggressive attitude towards the Hague
Tribunal, for a conflict between Croatia and the ICTY, the suit
against Yugoslavia for genocide. In this manner the proceedings in
The Hague were to be deferred, and Croatia's cooperation with the
Tribunal ceased until the suit against Yugoslavia is resolved.
These stances were hailed by Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and Zvonimir
Separovic," Granic said.
(hina) lml