NEW YORK, Sept 21 (Hina) - Croatia can solve possible disagreement and contentious issues in its relations with the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague through legal ways, but the United States also expects from it to fully
cooperate with the Hague-based Tribunal (ICTY).
NEW YORK, Sept 21 (Hina) - Croatia can solve possible disagreement
and contentious issues in its relations with the International War
Crimes Tribunal in The Hague through legal ways, but the United
States also expects from it to fully cooperate with the Hague-based
Tribunal (ICTY). #L#
The issue of Croatia's cooperation with the ICTY was the central
topic of Monday's talks between Croatian Foreign Minister Mate
Granic and U.S. Deputy State Secretary Strobe Talbot in New York.
They reiterated that the dispute about the jurisdiction of the ICTY
over Croatia's liberating operations "Flash" and "Storm" should be
solved within stipulated legal procedures for such matter.
Washington, however, is expecting and looking forward to a quick
completion of procedures which Croatia is taking because of the
request for the extradition of Mladen Naletilic Tuta.
Any hesitation of Croatia in meeting the ICTY extradition request
would not only provoke the implementation of U.S. sanctions in line
with the so-called Lautenberg Amendment but it would also directly
affect Croatia's cooperation with international financial
institutions and probably shut the door of the World Trade
Organisation for that country.
According to unofficial information from American diplomatic
circles, the U.S. Administration will show maximum two weeks of
patience to resist the Congress demands that sanctions be
proclaimed.
Talbot and Granic also discussed the forthcoming election in
Croatia. The U.S official reiterated expectations that the voting
will be fair and free and that all parties will enjoy equal
treatment by the media in the run-up to the election.
The Talbot-Granic meeting took twice more time than scheduled a
half hour.
The U.S. official positively assessed Croatia's "stable policy" in
the region following the Washington and Dayton Accords. He
reiterated positive American assessments of Croatia's attitude and
conduct during the Kosovo crisis.
The two politicians pointed to good economic relations between
their countries, which are on the ascent.
Speaking of the relations between his country and its neighbours,
Granic emphasised considerable progress in the ties with
Montenegro. He added that for the development of permanently good
relations between Zagreb and Podgorica, Croatia expects
Montenegrin authorities' apology for their country's role during
the aggression against Croatia.
(hina) ms