LUXEMBOURG, Oct 13 (Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers is expected on Monday to reiterate its appeal to all countries of the former Yugoslavia to fully cooperate with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, and to
express concern over Croatia's decision to declare an ecological and fishing zone in the Adriatic Sea.
LUXEMBOURG, Oct 13 (Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers
is expected on Monday to reiterate its appeal to all countries of
the former Yugoslavia to fully cooperate with the UN war crimes
tribunal in The Hague, and to express concern over Croatia's
decision to declare an ecological and fishing zone in the Adriatic
Sea. #L#
Recognising that certain progress has been made, the council notes
with concern that some countries and parties in the region are not
yet fully cooperating with the tribunal, according to the draft
conclusions due to be adopted at a regular monthly meeting in
Luxembourg later today.
The EU foreign ministers have been joined by the chief prosecutor of
the Hague tribunal, Carla Del Ponte, who reported to the UN Security
Council last week on cooperation of the former Yugoslav countries.
The draft conclusions do not name any country in the region, but
make a specific reference to the three most wanted fugitives from
the tribunal -- Bosnian Serb wartime leaders Radovan Karadzic and
Ratko Mladic and Croatian General Ante Gotovina.
The council calls on all the countries in the region to improve
their cooperation with a view to apprehending and handing over the
indictees who are still at large, and to ensure the delivery of
documents and access to archives and witnesses. The council
reiterates the need to intensify efforts to transfer Karadzic,
Mladic and Gotovina to the tribunal.
The foreign ministers stressed the importance of strengthening
national judiciaries and courts to take over cases from the
tribunal.
The council recalls that full cooperation of the countries of the
western Balkans with the tribunal remains an important element in
the stabilisation and association process. Lack of full
cooperation with the tribunal would seriously threaten further
efforts to join the EU, the draft conclusions say.
The council added that regional cooperation was also an important
element in the process of accession to the EU.
In this context and without challenging the sovereign rights of the
state which arise from the relevant international law, the council
regrets to note that the Croatian parliament has decided to
proclaim an ecological and fishing zone without appropriate
dialogue and cooperation with the countries concerned.
The council urges Croatia to continue constructive dialogue with
its neighbours in order to take into account their interests, the
draft conclusions say.
(hina) vm sb