ZAGREB, April 14 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament's House of Representatives on Friday continued its session with a discussion on the Government's draft declaration on Croatia's cooperation with the Hague-based International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic addressed the MPs on behalf of the Government, stressing at the beginning of his speech he had never had a heavier burden of responsibility.
ZAGREB, April 14 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament's House
of Representatives on Friday continued its session with a
discussion on the Government's draft declaration on Croatia's
cooperation with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic addressed the MPs on
behalf of the Government, stressing at the beginning of his speech
he had never had a heavier burden of responsibility. #L#
Asserting the Homeland War was sacred for the new Government,
Granic opposed endeavours by the opposition Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ) to have the discussion on the draft declaration become
an issue of every-day political fight.
The Government is also not satisfied with the work of the Hague-
based Tribunal and has suggested cooperation on a different
strategy and relations.
"Cooperation with The Hague should be an affirmation of our goals,
to have perpetrators of crimes punished," Granic said, calling on
members of parliament to make a crucial respectful approach towards
the victims of war.
He stressed he had "never felt such pride and joy as during and after
the 'Flash' and 'Storm' operations".
Especially noted was the part of Granic's speech when he spoke about
the trial of General Tihomir Blaskic, that is, of crimes against
civilians in Ahmici, asserting he was "ashamed that
representatives of the Croat people had committed these crimes".
He expressed conviction Croatia would through new relations with
The Hague confirm itself as a country which respects its own
constitution and the highest values yielded from it -- the freedoms
and rights of man.
However, theses whose aim is to tie the values of the Homeland War
with existing suspicions that some Croats had during the war
committed crimes are dangerous, Granic said.
Accentuating the importance of individual liability for crimes and
confidence in Croatian officers who, he believes, had through their
commands warned about protecting the rights of civilians during the
war, Granic said it was a joint obligation to shed light on the dark
side of the Homeland War for the future of the Croatian people.
Citing the Government's stances about the issue, Granic stressed it
stood behind the fact that in 1991 the war had been imposed on
Croatia and that all military actions, including the "Flash" and
"Storm" military and police operations, had been a legitimate
expression of the struggle of the Croatian people for
independence.
It is this Government's view that the strategy of obstruction and
isolation of the Hague-based Tribunal hitherto had not yielded one
positive result, neither to the defence of Croatia, nor to the
defence of the Homeland War.
The Government has opted for completely new relations and
cooperation with the ICTY, wishing to define that both the State of
Croatia and its Government deem crime as an unacceptable category.
The Government has chosen a partnership cooperation with The Hague,
but without illusions that this cooperation would be simple, devoid
of problems and law suits.
The Government is aware that The Hague will not process all crimes,
particularly concerning the crimes of Serbia, for which the
Croatian judiciary will take to assume basic responsibility
towards Croatian citizens.
The Government, Granic continued, accepts the challenge of trying
to protect the Republic of Croatia's national interests through
active cooperation with the Tribunal.
"We do not want to provide The Hague with an alibi for accusing us
for that which does not exist, because suspicions must be
investigated. We can express regret for this and spur The Hague to
carry out investigations for every crime with equal attention and
without politicisation, which had not occurred in every case,"
Granic stressed.
He asserted the trial against General Blaskic had indicated that
"there are attempts of political interpretations of everything
that occurred in this region" in The Hague.
Speaking about the dissatisfaction with the work of the Tribunal,
Granic said he had posed a question to the ICTY Chief Prosecutor
Carla Del Ponte -- what was the reason that the Tribunal was not
carrying out proceedings against anyone for crimes committed
against Croats in Croatia, as well as against Croats in Bosnia-
Herzegovina.
I asserted before Carla Del Ponte that "there are causes for such
perceptions to which you must respond".
Regarding the trial against General Blaskic, Granic said the
Tribunal had overstepped its authorities in issuing the political
context of the verdict, but that there were indications that "the
names of those who committed the crimes in Ahmici exist, but the
Hague-based Tribunal has not received all documents".
(hina) lml mm