ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - Croatia's Council for Co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on Friday formulated the basic elements of a co-operation strategy. These elements will be
presented to ICTY's chief prosecutor early next month, and then forwarded to the Croatian government and parliament for adoption. "We have formulated the basics of the strategy and authorised (Justice) Minister Ivanisevic to conduct consultations, during the chief prosecutor's visit, in connection with suggestions for solutions to existing demands, in order to find a common language," Deputy Premier and Council president Goran Granic told reporters. The new elements of the co-operation strategy "begin with the assumption that the Croatian state is willing to assume its share of responsibility for processing on Croatian territory," said Granic. Croatia wants partner relations
ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - Croatia's Council for Co-operation with
the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) on Friday formulated the basic elements of a co-operation
strategy.
These elements will be presented to ICTY's chief prosecutor early
next month, and then forwarded to the Croatian government and
parliament for adoption.
"We have formulated the basics of the strategy and authorised
(Justice) Minister Ivanisevic to conduct consultations, during the
chief prosecutor's visit, in connection with suggestions for
solutions to existing demands, in order to find a common language,"
Deputy Premier and Council president Goran Granic told reporters.
The new elements of the co-operation strategy "begin with the
assumption that the Croatian state is willing to assume its share of
responsibility for processing on Croatian territory," said
Granic.
Croatia wants partner relations with The Hague tribunal, through
solutions which will protect the sovereignty of the Croatian state,
but also enable undisturbed work for the war crimes tribunal, said
Granic.
ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte is expected to arrive in
Zagreb in early April. Granic said talks with del Ponte would tackle
the holding of trials in Croatia, the carrying of investigations
with the protection of Croatia's sovereignty, and Croatia's
suggestion that convicts serve their sentences in Croatia.
Granic also said co-operation with United States attorney David
Rivkin, who represented Croatia before the ICTY and the
International Court of Justice in the past, would be discontinued.
The new make-up of Croatia's Council for Co-operation with the ICTY
today held its first session.
The Council includes Granic, Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic,
Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, Interior Minister Sime Lucin,
Defence Minister Jozo Rados, Office for National Security head
Tomislav Karamarko, Croatian Intelligence Service manager Ozren
Zunec, two professors from the Zagreb Law School, Bozidar Bakotic
and Ivo Josipovic, and ICTY attorneys Anto Nobilo and Pero
Pulisevic.
(hina) ha