CRO AMNESTY INT WELCOMES GOVT WORK ON ESTABLISHMENT OF TRIBUNAL

( Editorial: --> 0980 ) ZAGREB, June 13 (Hina) - Amnesty International Croatia (AIH) has welcomed the Croatian government's work on the establishment of a permanent international criminal tribunal, the AIH said in a statement Saturday. The statement was issued on the occasion of a diplomatic conference opening in Rome June 15. The five-week conference will gather representatives from 120 countries and 200 non-government organisations. The Croatian delegation is headed by European Integration Minister Ljerka Mintas-Hodak. "We expect that as the head of the Croatian delegation (...), Vice Premier (...) Mintas Hodak will take a clear and principled stand which will contribute to the adoption of a statute and, eventually, the establishment of a just and efficacious permanent international criminal tribunal", the AIH said in the statement. The AIH has initiated the establishment of a national coalition which will back the establishment of the tribunal. Amnesty International has determined 16 fundamental principles for a just, fair and efficacious international criminal tribunal. According to the statement, the aim of the national coalition will be "close cooperation with the Croatian government", and "pressure on the government to adopt the said 16 (principles)". The AIH agrees with the Croatian government, whose stands were made public by Mintas Hodak yesterday, that the tribunal should be independent, with an independent prosecution able to initiate proceedings by itself, and that it should be financed by the United Nations. The AIH believes the tribunal should have jurisdiction over genocide crimes, other crimes against humanity, and crimes of serious violation of the humanitarian right in international and domestic armed conflicts. The AIH believes the tribunal should also ensure justice for women, in instances of rape, forced prostitution and other sexual abuse. The tribunal should also have inherent authority by which all states which ratify or adopt the statute agree to the tribunal's automatic jurisdiction over the said crimes. The AIH has been lobbying for the organisation of a conference and the establishment of an international tribunal since 1996, AIH director Milena Beader told Hina. She added the AIH would continue with the lobbying until the tribunal was established. (hina) ha jn 131717 MET jun 98