$ ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - Concerning the report published by the Associated Press agency on January 30, which was also published by some other foreign media, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, today told the Croatian
news agency Hina that her statements concerning Croatia's cooperation with the International War Crimes Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague had been "taken out of the context," and "transmitted (...) in a misguiding manner."
INTERVIEW
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ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - Concerning the report published by the
Associated Press agency on January 30, which was also published by
some other foreign media, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, Ljerka
Mintas-Hodak, today told the Croatian news agency Hina that her
statements concerning Croatia's cooperation with the International
War Crimes Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague had
been "taken out of the context," and "transmitted (...) in a
misguiding manner." #L#
The Associated Press reduced the contents of the conversation
with Mintas-Hodak to such an extent that she seemed to have said
that "the former commander of Bosnian Croats, convicted for alleged
war crimes will soon be brought before the International War Crimes
Tribunal in The Hague."
Mintas-Hodak said that she had talked with the AP reporter
about the "steps that the Republic of Croatia is undertaking in
order to level its legal system with the requirements of the
International Tribunal," and that in connection to that issue, she
had spoken of General Tihomir Blaskic.
"I brought up the reasons for not extraditing General Blaskic
in order to illustrate that the Republic of Croatia, as a state of
law, cannot extradite any of its citizens contrary to its
Constitution and law," Mintas-Hodak stressed.
"One of the numerous favourable steps made by the Government
of the Republic of Croatia aimed at promoting the cooperation with
the International War Crimes Tribunal is setting up a Draft Law
that will create legal prerequisites for a more effective
cooperation, including the possible extradition of alleged war
criminals who are citizens of the Republic of Croatia and live on
the territory of the Republic of Croatia," Mintas-Hodak said.
According to her statement, such a law could not be adopted
before the end of March, because, "the Draft Law has to pass the
proper legal procedures."
"Only after the adoption of such a law, the legislative basis
and legal mechanism would be created, so that the extradition of
alleged war criminals, including General Blaskic, could be
implemented," the Deputy Prime Minister stressed, adding that until
that moment, General Blaskic "can only voluntarily appear before
the International Tribunal."
The AP reporter had misinterpreted her statement that it was
the Croatian police that would be authorized to arrest the suspect
on the basis of the future law, Mintas-Hodak said.
"I believe that General Blaskic, as an officer of the Croat
Armed Forces, would certainly voluntarily submit to the decision of
the relevant body which, according to the new law, will decide on
the requests for extradition," Mintas Hodak said, adding she had by
no means indicated that it would be the Croatian police which would
in fact arrest General Blaskic.
At the end of her statement for Hina, Mintas-Hodak stressed
that ICTY officials had informed the Croatian Government about "the
possibility that convicted war criminals serve their sentences in
the Republic of Croatia," and that the Croatian Government was
prepared to apply for such a solution so that "Croatia would become
a country in which convicts would serve their sentences - without
prejudice as to who the convicts would be," Mintas Hodak said.
Mintas-Hodak also said that on Tuesday she had sent a
correction of the text to AP to publish it.
(hina) lm jn
311637 MET jan 96