MESIC: NOBODY IN CROATIA KNOWS WHO POSSIBLE ICTY INDICTEES ARE

ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - Nobody in Croatia knows against whom the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague is preparing indictments, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in an interview he gave to Sunday's issue of the 'Vjesnik' newspaper.#L# Neither do I know that those may be six generals nor do I know that those may be two civilians. I haven't the faintest idea, neither does anybody in Croatia know about it, Mesic said speaking of issues in relation to Croatia and the Hague-based ICTY. Commenting on the last week's statement of ICTY Deputy Chief Prosecutor Graham Blewitt that Croatian authorities knew the names of possible indictees and that those names mostly matched with the names which appeared in media, Croatian President said that during the communications between the Tribunal and Zagreb some names had been mentioned probably. "But, there was definitely no mention that there were three, four, five or six names," Mesic stressed. He explained that some names had probably been mentioned but "this still means nothing until the matter is processed." He holds that the 13 requests which the Croatian Government recently given regarding the cooperation with the Tribunal can only formally seem to be straining the relations with the ICTY. Croatia, he says, will not change the constitutional law on the cooperation with the Tribunal, and the act "should only be implemented, it offers a sufficiently broad framework for the cooperation, provided that the guilt is being individualised." He reiterated that Premier Ivica Racan and he had the same stand on the relations between their country and the Tribunal concerning the General Petar Stipetic case. "Our opinion is the same," Mesic stressed explaining that the Government would not check reasons for the summons forwarded to Gen. Stipetic (the Croatian army's incumbent chief of staff) but the Government's office for the cooperation with the Tribunal was asking for some explanations of certain segments of the summons. The summons has differently been interpreted, and I am not going to tackle its details which should be explained. The ICTY will correct that part so that everything may be clear and transparent. Gen. Stipetic will then give an interview to ICTY investigators, Mesic said. He emphasised that there had never been any mention of that the 1995 Flash and Storm operations or any other battle from the Homeland Defence War could be criminalised. This is only about individuals suspected of having committed crime or about individuals suspected of having known of crimes but who failed to do anything to prevent them, Mesic added. He expressed confidence that Gen. Stipetic could not be responsible for some events in Banovina (the area between the town of Petrinja and the left bank of the Sava river) during the Storm operation where he had been the chief commander of Croatian units. He is mentioned in the case of the pocket of Medak (central Croatia), but he possessed no responsibility there, he was only a negotiator in attempts to reach a cease-fire, Mesic said and reminded that one entire corps of the Yugoslav Army (JNA) had surrendered to Gen. Stipetic in Banovina and "exactly that army that capitulated, commended the conduct of Gen. Stipetic, his units, officers, non- commissioned officers and soldiers." Asked whether there was the trust between PM and President, Mesic answered that "they explained everything at their last talks (past Thursday) and so far there have been no wrong interpretations." He reiterated that they had to insist on the individualisation of the guilt because of their interests and that there were no reason for aggravation of the relations with the ICTY. "I agree with those who say that some statements of individuals from the Hague Tribunal have perhaps been confusing," Mesic admitted adding that, in any case, the Hague Tribunal's Prosecution is represented by Carla del Ponte and every issue should be settled with her. (hina) ms