SKOPLJAK WILLING TO BE TURNED OVER TO ICTY

ZAGREB, Aug 21 (Hina) - Bosnian Croat Pero Skopljak, detained in Zagreb and charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and several other persons on the list of those accused expressed willingness to be turned over to The Hague tribunal, on condition the ICTY grant a written guarantee that a trial against them will start within three months at the latest. The Croatian government's office for cooperation with the ICTY on Thursday issued a statement in relation to the matter. Following is the full text of the statement (unofficial translation): "As already stated to the Croatian public, the Department of Investigation of the Zagreb County Court reached decision IX-KIR- 2532/97 of 15 August 1997, by which Pero Skopljak, accused by the ICTY, is to be kept in detention. "Mister Pero Skopljak contacted the Office for Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, informing them he was ready to, of his own free will and immediately, be turned over to the International Criminal Tribunal, and renounce all legal possibilities relating to the reconsideration of a decision on the turning over at his disposal, on the basis of the Constitutional Law on the Cooperation of the Republic of Croatia with the International Criminal Tribunal. "As the only condition for this voluntary act, Mister Pero Skopljak requests a written guarantee on the part of the International Criminal Tribunal to the effect that the trial against him shall begin at once, or within three months at the latest, and that it shall be carried out promptly and efficiently. "The Office promptly forwarded the request of Mister Pero Skopljak to the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. "In case the International Criminal Tribunal does not meet the request, Pero Skopljak shall make use of all possibilities the Constitutional Law on Cooperation of the Republic of Croatia with the International Tribunal grants him, under which the turning over procedure shall be prolonged. "The Office received through mediators unofficial assurances of the other accused as well, who express willingness to be turned over to the International Criminal Tribunal, on condition that the trial begin at once and that it be prompt and just, as stipulated by the Procedure and Evidence Rules. The Office forwarded the said request to the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague as well", the statement issued by the Croatian government's office for cooperation with the ICTY concluded. (hina) ha jn 211554 MET aug 97