ZAGREB, Nov 4 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Thursday announced the government would respond to the questions in a speaking note the European Union (EU) handed Croatia on 27 October very soon, on Friday probably.
"It will be done in the spirit of dialogue and very resolutely," Granic said after today's meeting in Strasbourg with Finnish Minister Taria Halonen, the presiding party of the EU Council of Ministers. Granic said talks with Halonen tackled the impending parliamentary elections in Croatia, and several issues relative to Croatia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. Asked whether the talks mentioned EU's recent speaking note, which refers to the above stated issues, the foreign minister said he had taken the opportunity to announce the Croatian government's response. According to Gr
ZAGREB, Nov 4 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on
Thursday announced the government would respond to the questions in
a speaking note the European Union (EU) handed Croatia on 27 October
very soon, on Friday probably.
"It will be done in the spirit of dialogue and very resolutely,"
Granic said after today's meeting in Strasbourg with Finnish
Minister Taria Halonen, the presiding party of the EU Council of
Ministers.
Granic said talks with Halonen tackled the impending parliamentary
elections in Croatia, and several issues relative to Croatia's
cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.
Asked whether the talks mentioned EU's recent speaking note, which
refers to the above stated issues, the foreign minister said he had
taken the opportunity to announce the Croatian government's
response.
According to Granic, Croatia's answer to Brussels points out the
government's chief goal is to ensure on the basis of the
Constitution and the law fair and free elections for the House of
Representatives.
As regards Croatia's cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, Granic
reiterated Croatia's position regarding the successful
cooperation achieved so far, with three open issues.
One of these refers to the status of ICTY's Office in Zagreb, and
will according to the foreign minister be settled soon by the
signing of an agreement with the ICTY.
In view of the extradition of Croatian war crimes suspect Mladen
Naletilic Tuta, Granic said The Hague Tribunal had attested to the
professionalism Croatian doctors had demonstrated in the matter.
The ICTY yesterday stated Tuta was unfit to be transported to The
Hague at present.
The third open issue refers to the jurisdiction of The Hague
Tribunal over "Flash" and "Storm", military operations by which in
1995 Croatia liberated the parts of its territory occupied by the
Serb aggressor since 1991.
For the resolution of this latter issue, Granic said Croatia
demanded a change of rules of procedure and a decision by the
Tribunal's Council.
(hina) ha jn