HSP SUPPORTS GOVT REPLY TO ICTY INDICTMENTS, BUT NOT DECISION ON EXTRADITION

ZAGREB, July 30 (Hina) - The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) supports the standpoints presented in the reply of Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan to two indictments issued by the war crimes tribunal in The Hague (ICTY) against Generals Rahim Ademi and Ante Gotovina, however, it disagrees with the government's decision to, in spite of unacceptable political assessments from the indictments, extradite the two generals to the ICTY, HSP president Ante Djapic told a news conference Monday. The government's reply to the two indictments gives the HSP the right to request the holding of a referendum on cooperation with the ICTY one more time, and the only alternative to a referendum are early elections which could legitimate the government's standpoint on cooperation with the ICTY, Djapic stressed. He believes that the government's policy on cooperation with The Hague was losing credibility. The HSP president entirely supported General Gotovina's decision not to surrender to the ICTY, stressing this was a political court which indicted Gotovina for concrete crimes. Djapic also assessed the indictment, in line with which late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and the Croatian Army are co- perpetrators of war crimes, as unacceptable. (hina) it