ZAGREB, July 19 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic and the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Louise Arbour, on Monday discussed mutual expectations between Croatia
and The Hague Tribunal, the status of The Hague prosecution office in Zagreb and the hand-over of Mladen Naletilic Tuta and Vinko Martinovic Stela.
ZAGREB, July 19 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic and
the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Louise Arbour, on Monday discussed
mutual expectations between Croatia and The Hague Tribunal, the
status of The Hague prosecution office in Zagreb and the hand-over
of Mladen Naletilic Tuta and Vinko Martinovic Stela. #L#
Asked whether they discussed possible indictments against Croatian
army generals, Granic answered negatively. "Louise Arbour did not
mention that topic at all", Granic said.
Croatia expects The Hague Tribunal to prosecute all mass crimes
committed during the aggression against Croatia, as well as crimes
committed against Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which, Granic
said, no one has been sentenced for despite the fact that Croatia
had given all the necessary documents. The talks also addressed the
arrest of the so-called Vukovar troika - Mile Mrksic, Veselin
Sljivancanin and Miroslav Radic, as well as of Milan Martic.
"We have agreed to exchange information and also for The Hague
Tribunal to intensify its activities regarding that issue", Granic
said.
The Hague Tribunal expects Croatia's cooperation in investigations
into the Croatian army and police operations 'Flash' and 'Storm' as
well as into the 'Medacki dzep' case. "It is known that stands on the
legal jurisdiction of The Hague court regarding these questions
differ", Granic said.
Arbour told Granic she would relay the problem to ICTY President
Gabrielle Kirk McDonald and the U.N. Security Council, which would
mediate between The Hague prosecution and Croatia.
"Also discussed was an agreement between the ICTY and Croatia on the
status of the office of The Hague prosecutor in Zagreb. There is a
high degree of agreement as regards that question, but there are
still some items that have not been agreed on. We believe a
compromise solution can be found with U.N.'s chief legal advisor in
New York", the Foreign Minister said.
The two officials also discussed the extradition of Naletilic and
Martinovic, who are indicted by the ICTY for crimes committed in
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"At a meeting held today, Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic
informed Prosecutor Arbour about Croatia's stands regarding the
two cases", Granic said.
(hina) rml