JUSTICE MINISTER COMMENTS ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY

BASKA VODA, Aug 2 (Hina) - During a visit to Baska Voda (central Dalmatia) on Monday, Croatian Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic said Croatia would continue conducting an active policy toward The Hague Tribunal and announced the issuing of an indictment against Slobodan Milosevic and Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) generals, who, he said, had destroyed Croatia and killed civilians. Separovic said the indictment against Mile Martic would be amended, because Martic had only been charged with shelling Zagreb. The indictment against Ratko Mladic, who was the commander of the Knin Corps and was responsible for attacks on Nadin and Skarbrnja, would also be amended. #L# The Justice Minister said Croatia would submit evidence on crimes committed against Croatia and the Croat people by Bosniaks- Muslims. Reminding that a special U.N. commission, which carried out a thorough investigation into crimes in Croatia and Bosnia, had established that 85 per cent of all crimes had been committed by Serbs and the remaining 15 per cent by Bosniaks and Croats, Separovic said this fact should reflect in the prosecution policy of The Hague Tribunal. Judging by who is being tried in The Hague, one could conclude that only Croats had committed crimes, he added. Separovic said he was acquainted with the fact that the ICTY Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour had handed her report on Croatia's non-co- operation with the Tribunal to the ICTY President. "We are appalled at this", Separovic said adding, "how can someone instigate a procedure on non-co-operation against this country and Government, which is the only one which cooperated with The Hague on many occasions". He added a 'white book' on cooperation with The Hague would be published soon. "There has been no reply as yet from The Hague from Chief Prosecutor Louise Arbour regarding (the documentation on) the Medak pocket and the Pakrac field and it is their hands, as well as the documentation we have recently sent them", Separovic said. The decision regarding the hand over of Vinko Martinovic Stela will soon be known, whereas Mladen Naletilic Tuta is ill and receiving treatment in a Zagreb prison hospital. Proceedings which are being conducted against them - both court proceeding and those regarding conditions for their hand-over to The Hague have still not been completed, Separovic said. Once those proceedings are completed, it is for the justice minister to make a decision, Separovic said, adding the decision on the hand-over would be adopted only after the court proceedings and proceedings on criminal responsibility had been completed. (hina) rml