ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Wednesday urged General Ante Gotovina to make an additional step and appear before the Hague's war crimes tribunal. The PM assessed Gotovina's chances in the case were
good and announced the government would help contest unacceptable sections of the indictment.
ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on
Wednesday urged General Ante Gotovina to make an additional step
and appear before the Hague's war crimes tribunal. The PM assessed
Gotovina's chances in the case were good and announced the
government would help contest unacceptable sections of the
indictment. #L#
"My message to General Gotovina is very clear -- in your own and
Croatia's interest, make that additional step and defend yourself
before the Hague tribunal. The case looks good, in my opinion, and
we will help contest the accusations," Racan told reporters in the
government building.
The PM asserted that continuing the current state of affairs harmed
both General Gotovina and Croatia, adding he was deeply convinced
Gotovina would make the additional step.
The tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte's reply to
President Mesic did not come as a surprise to Racan. He reminded he
had personally applauded the interview Gotovina gave recently to a
Croatian weekly in which he said he recognised the Hague tribunal.
Racan suggests Gotovina make the additional step and appear before
the tribunal. Del Ponte said the same in her reply to President
Mesic, which does not come as a surprise, the PM said.
"If General Gotovina makes that step, the case could end in his
favour," Racan assessed.
He also recalled his own contesting of the indictment against the
retired general, issued two years ago, when the government sent to
The Hague a number of documents challenging sections of the
indictment. Racan says he believes other documents which have
recently come to light, will also help Gotovina.
Emphasising that, two years ago, he expressed the government's
readiness to become engaged in the process, the prime minister said
the government accepted various forms of assistance -- that
anything which might be used in defence of unacceptable charges be
available to both Gotovina and the tribunal. He added his testimony
and that of other officials was possible.
"I am available to participate in challenging the accusations,
which we believe are unacceptable," Racan said.
"The important thing is that the process begins, without which
changes to or withdrawing the indictment will not be possible," the
PM said in reply to a reporter's question why the tribunal, which
has had a number of documents for some time, has not reacted so as to
review the indictment against Gotovina.
Two years ago the situation in Croatia was different, so
unacceptable qualifications of the Flash and Storm liberation
operations were possible. Today, this is no longer possible. A lot
has happened in the past two years in the tribunal, where the trial
against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is especially
important, Racan said.
He again dismissed speculations about differences of opinion
between him and President Mesic, stressing that he viewed Mesic's
initiative as an attempt to help solve the Gotovina case.
(hina) lml