THE HAGUE, Jan 17 (Hina) - The prosecutor of The Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) this week voiced concern with the fact that an American law firm was simultaneously representing Croatia and
defendant Dario Kordic. Both Croatia and Kordic however believe no clash of interests will occur between the two cases represented by Hunton & Williamson. Kordic's defence are Zagreb attorney Mitko Naumovski and Hunton & Williamson's Turner Smith Jr. and David Geneson. Attorneys David Rivikin Jr. and Lee Caesy, also from Hunton & Williamson, represent the Republic of Croatia in proceedings related to ICTY's requests of Croatia to submit specific documents and information in relation to the Kordic and Blaskic cases. In a report compiled last December and issued this week, the ICTY prosecutor warned about the fact that one client, the Republic of Croatia, was request
THE HAGUE, Jan 17 (Hina) - The prosecutor of The Hague-based
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
this week voiced concern with the fact that an American law firm was
simultaneously representing Croatia and defendant Dario Kordic.
Both Croatia and Kordic however believe no clash of interests will
occur between the two cases represented by Hunton & Williamson.
Kordic's defence are Zagreb attorney Mitko Naumovski and Hunton &
Williamson's Turner Smith Jr. and David Geneson.
Attorneys David Rivikin Jr. and Lee Caesy, also from Hunton &
Williamson, represent the Republic of Croatia in proceedings
related to ICTY's requests of Croatia to submit specific documents
and information in relation to the Kordic and Blaskic cases.
In a report compiled last December and issued this week, the ICTY
prosecutor warned about the fact that one client, the Republic of
Croatia, was requested by the ICTY to submit documents which, if
submitted, might charge another client of the same company, in this
case Kordic.
On the other hand, the report said, Kordic might have evidence
against Croatia.
The ICTY prosecutor therefore requested both parties, the Republic
of Croatia and Kordic, to consider the possibility that Hunton &
Williamson might face a conflict of interests, were for instance
Kordic to conclude that the company was more concerned with
Croatia's than with his interests.
The two parties were requested to submit to the tribunal formal
agreement to be represented by Hunton & Williamson.
Croatia's Deputy Justice Minister and head of the Croatian
government's Office for cooperation with the ICTY, Snjezana Bagic,
last October, as well as on January 5, 1999, forwarded a letter to
the trial chamber in the Kordic case, in which she said Croatia did
not believe the simultaneous representation of Croatia and Kordic
would represent a clash of interest for Hunton & Williamson.
Croatia "is fully acquainted with the nature and extent of Hunton &
Williamson's activity in the Kordic defence, and consents to his
being defended by this firm," Bagic said in the letter.
Next week, Kordic's defence will submit his written statement to
the trial chamber confirming his consent to being defended by
lawyers from Hunton & Williamson. The defence said Kordic too
believed no conflict of interests would occur.
The Kordic trial is scheduled for April 12.
With regard to ICTY's request for Croatia to submit documents, the
ICTY prosecutor's office last December requested the trial chamber
in the Kordic case to reconsider the demands made of Croatia.
In his report, the prosecutor pointed out that to date Croatia had
submitted only a minor number of documents which mainly did not
refer to what the prosecutor was seeking.
Last July, the prosecutor requested the judges in the Kordic case to
grant permission subpoena Croatia, to which Croatia voiced its
opposition in August.
(hina) ha