ICTY INVESTIGATORS CAN OPERATE IN CROATIA ONLY WITH GOVT CONSENT

ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - Investigators of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) can operate in Croatia only with the consent of the Government and as a rule through Croatia's investigative bodies, read a statement by the Croatian Justice Ministry on Saturday. The statement also quoted parts of a letter Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic on Friday sent to the ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte regarding her request that ICTY investigators be sent to Croatia. Croatia will provide assistance and safety for ICTY investigators under several conditions, the statement said. The first condition is that in providing assistance, the Croatian authorities will abide by the Croatian legislation. Second, Croatia cannot allow the investigation into the 1995 internal military-police operations 'Flash' and 'Storm' nor can it allow the investigation of other events which happened on its territory following a "cease-fire" agreement in early 1992. It is Croatia's view that the investigation of those events does not fall within ICTY's jurisdiction, it is stressed in the statement. Any investigation regarding those events should be postponed until competent court bodies decide about the matter, it is said. Also, meeting the investigation request requires wrapping up the current talks on the status of the ICTY Chief Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb. "Therefore, until the already mentioned issues are completely resolved, we believe that it is not convenient that you send your investigative teams and that, for the time being, the Croatian Government cannot accept them", it is said in the letter sent by Separovic to ICTY's del Ponte. Separovic on Friday also sent the ICTY Chief Prosecutor the eighth report on the condition of Mladen Naletilic Tuta, said the Justice Ministry statement. (hina) rml