OSIJEK, Dec 22 (Hina) - General Petar Stipetic will not be a new General Blaskic and in case relations with the Hague war crimes tribunal further deteriorate, changes to the constitutional law regulating that cooperation will not be
possible, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said after a visit to the eastern Croatian food processing industry 'Belje' on Friday. Asked to comment on the latest events regarding the status of General Stipetic, Mesic said: "Rest assured that we will not make a new general Blaskic. General Stipetic will be able to testify about everything which speaks in his favour before Hague investigators." Asked to comment on Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic's statement that he would not permit Stipetic's testimony until the Hague tribunal explained how the general's status had turned from witness to suspect, Mesic said he would not comment anyone's statements, including the minister's. Croatia sho
OSIJEK, Dec 22 (Hina) - General Petar Stipetic will not be a new
General Blaskic and in case relations with the Hague war crimes
tribunal further deteriorate, changes to the constitutional law
regulating that cooperation will not be possible, Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic said after a visit to the eastern Croatian
food processing industry 'Belje' on Friday.
Asked to comment on the latest events regarding the status of
General Stipetic, Mesic said: "Rest assured that we will not make a
new general Blaskic. General Stipetic will be able to testify about
everything which speaks in his favour before Hague
investigators."
Asked to comment on Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic's
statement that he would not permit Stipetic's testimony until the
Hague tribunal explained how the general's status had turned from
witness to suspect, Mesic said he would not comment anyone's
statements, including the minister's.
Croatia should appoint a state prosecutor and process all war
crimes suspects itself. "If we process (them) ourselves, we will
not need The Hague, but it is not enough only to say that (crimes
will be) processed, Croatia must also do something about it.
Accusing The Hague and international community does not lead
anywhere and I believe the cooperation between the Government and
the Hague tribunal will go toward clarifying unclear details and
continuing cooperation and dialogue rather than entering
conflicts," Mesic said.
The President dismissed the possibility of changing the
Constitutional law on the cooperation with the Hague tribunal in
case of further deterioration of relations with the tribunal,
asserting changes to the law "are not possible."
"We all want to know when those who started the war - Milosevic,
generals Adzic and Kadijevic, the Vukovar troika and hundreds of
other criminals who found refuge in Serbia - will be brought before
the Hague tribunal, and they will be brought before the court once
Serbia becomes a democratic society," Mesic said, adding Croatia
should therefore support Serbia's democratisation.
(hina) rml