WIESENTHAL CENTRE REQUESTS CROATIA TO DEMAND DEFERRAL OF SAKIC

( Editorial: --> 5636 ) ZAGREB, April 8 (Hina) - Croatian Justice Minister Miroslav Separovic said on Wednesday that the Simon Wiesenthal Centre forwarded a request to the Croatian Embassy in Israel for Croatia to demand the deferral of a former Jasenovac concentration camp commander, Dinko Sakic, who is currently in Argentina. In an interview for the Croatian Television (HTV), Separovic said Wednesday evening that he had been informed about the issue by the Foreign Ministry. "If this is true, the (deferral) request will be forwarded to the state attorney in Croatia who will then take action in line with the law," Separovic said. He said the Justice Ministry did not have official information about the alleged apprehension of Sakic in Argentina, nor had he been informed of the fact by the Argentinean authorities. Separovic said the Justice Ministry was in constant contact with the Croatian Embassy in Argentina and when it receives official information about the case, it would, with the cooperation of the Foreign Ministry, initiate adequate action in line with Croatian laws and international conventions, about which the public will be duly informed. (hina) lm mm 082104 MET apr 98