$ HATTUCK SAYS WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Hina) - Considerable progress had been made in Croatia's cooperation with the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, aide to the U.S. Secretary of State in charge of human rights, John
Shattuck, said yesterday.
S
$ HATTUCK SAYS
WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Hina) - Considerable progress had been made in
Croatia's cooperation with the International War Crimes Tribunal in
The Hague, aide to the U.S. Secretary of State in charge of human
rights, John Shattuck, said yesterday. #L#
'President Tudjman has been very positive towards the
procedure (of the arrest of war crimes suspects). He supported the
procedure', Shattuck said after his arrival from Bosnia-Herzegovina
and Croatia.
'President Tudjman also expressed support for the transfer of
Djukic and Krsmanovic to The Hague', Shattuck said, adding that
Croatia had asked that the investigation of war crimes in eastern
Slavonia and in the Banja Luka area be speeded up.
As regards Serbia, Shattuck said that the Serbian leadership
had not shown readiness to comply with the regulation on the
treatment of suspects.
'It is in Serbia's interest, and we made it clear to
Milosevic, to cooperate', he said, adding that Serbia was
complaining that the prosecution of war criminals did not focus
enough on Serbs as war victims.
The transfer of Serb commanders General Djukic and Colonel
Krsmanovic to The Hague was 'a huge step towards justice', Shattuck
said.
At the time of their arrest, the two commanders had not been
on their way to meet IFOR, but, dressed as civilians and carrying
personal weapons in a stolen vehicle, they were on their way to
visit their relatives, Shattuck said.
'They took a wrong turn', Shattuck quoted the two commanders
as saying.
The Bosnian Serb leaders Karadzic and Mladic would be arrested
sooner or later, if they did not surrender earlier, Shattuck said.
The United States considered that Karadzic and Mladic should
be removed from their positions and it would insist that the two
leaders be brought to trial.
The isolation of Karadzic and Mladic was growing, Shattuck
said, adding he thought the two men only pretended they had power.
'There is certain evidence that proves that fact', he added.
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