HDZ SAYS IT WILL BOYCOTT AFTERNOON DEBATE ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY

ZAGREB, April 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party has announced that it will boycott Thursday session of the Croatian National Sabor on Croatia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), should the ruling coalition refuse to postpone the debate for next Wednesday. The head of the HDZ bench, Vladimir Seks, said representatives were given too little time to study more seriously the text of a declaration on cooperation with the ICTY, which the Government forwarded to the Sabor this morning. "Should the majority turn a deaf ear to our request, we will leave the chamber and organise a debate at the House of Counties," where the HDZ has a majority, Seks told a news conference ahead of the afternoon part of the session. Seks told reporters the HDZ could not accept an item from the declaration according to which "Croatia believes it is unquestionable that war crimes committed during and immediately after the end of the Homeland War are within the jurisdiction of the Hague Tribunal." The parliamentary majority unanimously supports the declaration by which the Government expresses its belief that a good cooperation with the ICTY is of vital importance for Croatia. The ruling coalition of six parties has the necessary majority for the adoption of the declaration, however, by failing to accept HDZ's proposal, it could lose parliamentary consensus on cooperation with the ICTY. The HDZ also requests a debate on its draft declaration, entitled "Protection of Dignity of the Homeland War." The party demands that parliament confirm its previous decision saying operations 'Flash' and 'Storm' do not fall within the jurisdiction of the ICTY because they were anti-terrorist actions. Seks also requested that the House of Representatives discuss the government's and HDZ's drafts separately. (hina) jn rml