ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - "The punishment of war crimes is a very important measure" for rebuilding the trust in Croatia, but to give effective contribution to the trust building process, a court procedure "needs to have credibility
across the whole community" among both Croats and the Serb community, a spokesman for the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) mission in Zagreb said on Tuesday. Giving the OSCE standpoint toward the current prosecution and trials of war crimes suspects and reactions to such moves, the spokesman Peter Palmer described as inappropriate media reports or statements by some senior officials who prejudged the outcome of the trial before its completion and recalled that every person is regarded innocent until her/her guilt is proved. He also responded to media reports which claimed that OSCE had defended war criminals and helped them
ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - "The punishment of war crimes is a very
important measure" for rebuilding the trust in Croatia, but to give
effective contribution to the trust building process, a court
procedure "needs to have credibility across the whole community"
among both Croats and the Serb community, a spokesman for the OSCE
(Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) mission in
Zagreb said on Tuesday.
Giving the OSCE standpoint toward the current prosecution and
trials of war crimes suspects and reactions to such moves, the
spokesman Peter Palmer described as inappropriate media reports or
statements by some senior officials who prejudged the outcome of
the trial before its completion and recalled that every person is
regarded innocent until her/her guilt is proved.
He also responded to media reports which claimed that OSCE had
defended war criminals and helped them to escape Croatia.
"This is not true." The OSCE has not escorted anyone out of the
country, Palmer said adding that there was a case when the OSCE had
intervened to rescue an attacked man and his daughter, but they were
moved just into a nearby village.
In case there is new strong evidence on war crimes, processes should
be initiated against the suspects, Palmer explained pointing out to
the Croatian Government's obligation to hold consultations with
the Hague-based International War Crimes Tribunal on the matter.
Commenting on the issue of missing persons, Palmer said information
on such persons must be in any case forwarded to their families, and
this move can also contribute to the rebuilding of confidence in a
broad community.
(hina) ms