BLASKIC CASE: DEFENCE REQUESTS BINDING ORDERS

( Editorial: --> 1308 ) THE HAGUE, March 21 (Hina) - The defence of General Tihomir Blaskic, which requested that the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) forward binding orders to Great Britain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United Nations and UNHCR, should very precisely state which documents it requires before ICTY decides on those binding orders and sends them, it was agreed on Friday afternoon at the status conference for the Blaskic case. The Prosecution is accusing Bosnian Croat Tihomir Blaskic of persecuting the Bosniak (Muslim) population in central Bosnia during the Croat-Muslim conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Blaskic voluntarily presented himself to the tribunal in April 1996. If ICTY decides to send the binding orders it will be a precedence because it would be the first time that such a request is forwarded to the UN, said Blaskic's attorney, Anto Nobilo. He said that the defence had some months earlier requested documents which would substantiate some important facts tied to Blaskic's defence. He said that Bosnia-Herzegovina, on request of the tribunal, had already delivered some of the documents but the Blaskic defence judges that material as mainly insignificant and reminds that it is interested in the period of Spring 1993. "We requested specific documents from Britain, the UN and UNHCR but they have not responded," said Nobilo emphasising that these sides are simultaneously collaborating with the Prosecutor's Office. The Blaskic trial will resume in the second half of April. (hina) jn mrb 211529 MET mar 98