SEPAROVIC: WE DISMISS ACCUSATIONS, WILLING TO CONTINUE COOPERATION WITH HAGUE

ZAGREB, July 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Government resolutely dismisses accusations on Croatia's involvement in an international conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina and insinuations about President Franjo Tudjman, Croatian Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic told reporters on Thursday, adding Croatia is willing to continue cooperating with The Hague Tribunal. Separovic said this after today's Government session, which was held behind closed doors. The Government today released a statement on claims made in the closing argument of The Hague prosecutor in the trial of Tihomir Blaskic. #L# Croatia will hand over to The Hague Tribunal documents which have been requested and which can be handed over. "All (documents) expect for those which refer to the national security (will be handed over)", he said. He reminded that Operation Storm was not an international conflict, but, as had been recognised, a military-police operation aimed at liberating and establishing sovereignty on Croatian territory. "We won't allow legitimacy to be taken away from (the operation)", Separovic said. The Justice Minister announced Croatia would point to the fact that Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour was only one of the parties in the dispute. "Croatia wants the Tribunal to decide whether and how it will assess Operation Storm, which is actually the most contested issue", Separovic said. Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour yesterday requested the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, to report to the U.N. Security Council Croatia's non-co-operation with the ICTY. Croatia has been requested to hand over documents regarding Operation Storm and extradite Vinko Martinovic Stela and Mladen Naletilic Tuta. Separovic today reiterated that Croatia was not involved in the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatia was the first country to recognise Bosnia-Herzegovina, he said, recalling the cooperation agreement signed between Presidents Tudjman and Izetbegovic and the Split agreement on joint defence, which resulted in the joint liberation of a major portion of western Bosnia-Herzegovina by Croat and Bosniak forces, as well as Croatia's cooperation in designing the Dayton and Washington agreements. "In that sense, everything else we are being accused of are insinuations, which we dismiss. We will continue cooperating with The Hague Tribunal - we have done that so far and we will continue doing it in the future", Separovic concluded. (hina) rml