CRO. GOVT. STILL DOESN'T COOPERATE FULLY - SAYS ICTY'S BLEWITT

SARAJEVO, June 15 (Hina) - Croatia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague is at present much better than in the past, but the Croatian government is still expected to submit documents on events in connection with operation "Storm", ICTY deputy chief prosecutor Graham Blewitt said recently. ICTY has still not received the documents it requested in connection with events dating back to 1995 and 1996, Blewitt told Sarajevo-based weekly Slobodna Bosna which hit the news-stands on Thursday. Croatia's government is still not ready to submit those documents, so we have to assert that they still do not cooperate fully, he said. Blewitt reminded ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte told the United Nations Security Council two weeks ago Croatia's cooperation with ICTY had improved but was still not complete. We shall notify the Security Council once we are completely sure Croatia is delivering all documents, Blewitt said when asked if ICTY was willing to quash a demand forwarded to the Council last year for sanctions against Croatia. Commenting on doubts in connection with ICTY's statements that the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina had traits of international conflict, as was established in the Aleksovski case, Blewitt said he was surprised anyone could claim such a court ruling could be rescinded. Blewitt said ICTY had no intention of yielding in endeavours to further confirm that an international conflict had taken place, as recently found documents confirmed and not denied. Speaking about the Tihomir Blaskic case, a Bosnian Croat general sentenced to 45 years, Blewitt said the newly received documents from both sides would become part of the appeal, and that Blaskic would not be tried again. (hina) ha