NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Hina) - Croatia's Government has failed to comply with some requests of the International War Crimes Tribunal For former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Prosecutor's' Office since 1996, read the sixth annual report which the ICTY
submitted to the UN General Assembly and the Security Council on Friday.
NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Hina) - Croatia's Government has failed to comply
with some requests of the International War Crimes Tribunal For
former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Prosecutor's' Office since 1996, read the
sixth annual report which the ICTY submitted to the UN General
Assembly and the Security Council on Friday.#L#
In the report which covers the period from 28 July 1998 to 31 July
1999, the Hague-based Tribunal's President, Gabrielle Kirk
McDonnald, blamed Croatia with a failure to meet the request on the
extradition of Mladen Naletilic Tuta and Vinko Martinovic Stela.
Commenting on Croatia's explanation that Naletilic and Martinovic
can be transferred to The Hague after the completion of trial
procedures led against them in Croatia, Gabrielle Kirk McDonnald
responded that "this position is blatantly contrary to the
principle that the Tribunal enjoys primacy over national courts."
The report also read about the Croatian Government's refusal to
cooperate with ICTY prosecutors regarding crimes committed during
1995 "Storm" operation.
Gabrielle Kirk McDonnald also made objections to statements by some
Croatian officials "including the Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister, that seem designed deliberately to disseminate
misinformation concerning the work and the objectives of the
Tribunal."
Responding to Croatia's accusations that those who committed
crimes against Croats have not yet been brought before the
Tribunal, the Tribunal's President wrote that "it is disingenuous
and unacceptable, therefore, for any Government to call for
investigation and prosecution of crimes allegedly committed
against its citizens while simultaneously refusing to assist the
Prosecutor in developing cases involving other victims.".
McDonnald maintained that generally speaking, the anti-Tribunal
propaganda had increased in Croatia in the last year. The
Tribunal's President cited the case with a resolution passed by the
Croatian Parliament (Sabor) last February on this matter,
asserting that "it is regrettable that the debate that led to the
resolution was not characterised by a more reasoned and mature
discussion on the record of the Tribunal."
"As a result of the persistent failure of the Government of Croatia
to comply with the Prosecution requests for assistance, on 28 July
1999, (...) the Prosecutor requested the President to find that
Croatia had failed to comply with its obligations towards the
Tribunal and to report the matter to the Security Council," the
statement read adding that the Prosecutor's request was pending at
the close of the reporting period.
A speech of the ICTY President, Gabrielle Kirk McDonnald, at the UN
General Assembly is announced for November 8.
(hina) ms