CRO FOREIGN MINISTRY ISSUES STATEMENT ON ICTY STATEMENT IN DECISIO

DECISIO $ N ON RAJIC CASE ZAGREB, 14 Sept (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry on Saturday issued a statement saying it was surprised and worried about the fact that in its yesterday's decision, in which it reconfirmed the indictment against the Bosnian Croat Ivica Rajic, the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had concluded, among other things, that at the time of the crimes Rajic was charged with, there had been an international armed conflict between the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia. The statement on Croatia's direct involvement in the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in the way described in the ICTY decision, not only contradicted the truth but could have very serious consequences for Croatia and the whole peace process, the statement from the Foreign Ministry said. One should bear in mind that Croatia, although it had demanded it in its letter to the ICTY on 30 April 1996, was not given a chance to present its views and arguments on this important issue, the statement said. The Foreign Ministry was dissatisfied and concerned about the ICTY decision because of the fact that it could increase tensions in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the key moment of the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement - the general elections. Croatia had always taken painstaking efforts in helping the establishment of peace and stability in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which had been an important factor in the joint fight against the aggression, the statement said. Croatia had been supporting the cooperation between the two states from the signing of the 1992 Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation, the Vienna and Washington agreements of 1994 to the Split Declaration of 1995, which created conditions for the cessation of long-standing hostilities and facilitated the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement, the statement said. Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic had sent a letter to the ICTY President Antonio Cassese, protesting over the ICTY statement which Croatia found unacceptable, the statement said. (hina) rm 142000 MET sep 96