CRO GOVT. SETS UP OFFICE FOR SEARCH FOR MISSING PERSONS

ZAGREB, Sept 21 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday established the Office in charge for search for missing and detained persons, in order to highlight the importance of more intensified efforts in search for persons whose whereabouts have been unknown since the 1991-1995 Serb aggression against Croatia. So far, this job has been done by the Government's special commission and the Racan Cabinet commended it for its endeavours. #L# Croatia's authorities and competent bodies will continue investigating into war crimes committed during the aggression and they will continue to establish perpetrators. For a democratic Croatia, for a law-based state, war crimes perpetrators cannot be amnestied and war crime has no statute of limitations, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said during a debate on a report on the work of the commission for the missing and detain persons, in the period from 15 October last year to 30 August this year. In that period the destiny of 80 persons was clarified, while since 1993, it has been established what happened with 1,836 registered detained and missing people. The commission is still searching for 1,588 persons. Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic cautioned that it could be expected that a larger number of persons be found than the number on lists. "Of three found persons, one is on lists," Granic explained. He complained about the total obstruction from representatives of the Serb community, adding that their cooperation is necessary for efforts aimed at detecting locations where the killed have been buried. In addition, a diplomatic action will be important so that we can find spots where the killed were buried during the UN (UNTAES) mandate in east Croatia, Granic added. (hina) ms