ICTY ISSUES BINDING ORDER TO CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 5053 ) ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia has issued a binding order to the Republic of Croatia to produce documentary evidence in the Blaskic case, the Government Office for Cooperation with ICTY said on Friday. The order was forwarded to the Government Office on 10 February. Pursuant to Croatia's obligations toward ICTY, the relevant authorities are gathering the existing documentation, the Office said in a statement. However, the binding order calls, in part, for the production of documents that do not exist and which had already been sought by the subpoena duces tecum, subsequently quashed by the Appeals Chamber. Moreover, the Binding Order does not comply with the requirements for such orders set out in the judgment of the Appeals Chamber, the statement said. Consequently, the Republic of Croatia has applied to the Appeals Chamber for a revision of the Binding Order. (hina) mm as/mrb 271849 MET feb 98