ICTY INVESTIGATORS IN GOSPIC HOLD FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE

BASKE OSTARIJE, April 18 (Hina) - The head of The Hague-based war crimes tribunal Prosecution's team investigating possible mass grave sites in central Croatia on Tuesday called the first press conference in Baske Ostarije. The press conference was called ten days after the tribunal's investigators began work in the Obradovic Vares area near Gospic. Since yesterday, they have been joined by the Lika-Senj County Court investigating judge, the county's state attorney, and the county's crime police. The Hague team's head Steve Chembers confirmed human remains were found yesterday and today, indicating the Obradovic Vares grave contained more than person. He was unable to say how many. Exhumations are continuing, and once completed, the unearthed remains will be processed, Chambers said. He assessed joint work with Croatian judicial bodies as a good sign of cooperation between The Hague war crimes tribunal and Croatia's authorities. Asked if investigations would be carried out on other locations, for example where Croats were killed, Chembers recalled The Hague tribunal chief prosecutor's clear statement that all serious violations of the international humanitarian law would be brought to justice, regardless of who the perpetrators were. (hina) ha mm