CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DENIES ALLEGATIONS OF TUTA'S LAWYER

ZAGREB, Oct 19 (Hina) - Croatia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday most resolutely repudiated a statement given by lawyer Kresimir Krsnik, Mladen Naletilic Tuta's counsel, about any involvement into the legal procedure in the Naletilic case. In accordance of the tripartition of power under the Constitution, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being a part of the executive authority, cannot interfere into any internal legal procedure and thus not in this case as as well. It can only guarantee the consistent implementation of judicial bodies' rulings which oblige, in any way, the Croatian Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, read a statement issued by this ministry. In the case of Mladen Naletilic, the Foreign Ministry just carried out its duties, clearly notifying the Croatian Government and President about the international community's stands and also relaying to the international communities conclusions drawn by the Council for Defence and National Security (VONS) and the Croatian Government. The Foreign Ministry has never given promises to anyone about the dates for the extradition but it strongly advocated the necessity of the consistent conduct of a legal procedure determined by the Constitutional Act on the cooperation with the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal (ICTY), read the Ministry's statement. On Tuesday, Krsnik accused the Croatian Foreign Ministry of its interference in the trial against Naletilic by promising to the international community exactly when Naletilic would be handed over to the ICTY, although the trial, which is being led against Naletilic in Croatia, has not been completed yet. Krsnik told reporters that he possessed reliable data on this Ministry's involvement. (hina) mm ms