ICTY REQUESTS HEARING WITH CROATIAN ARMY CHIEF INSPECTOR

( Editorial: --> 3348 ) ZAGREB, May 12 (Hina) - Croatia has received a request from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for a hearing with the Croatian Army Chief Inspector, Lt Gen Ante Gotovina, the Croatian Government's Office for Cooperation with ICTY said on Tuesday. Gotovina is not required to comply with that request, the statement reads. ICTY's request is related to the "circumstances before, during and after Operation Storm", says the statement. The Office for Cooperation with ICTY stressed that the "Republic of Croatia's stance is that Operation Storm is not under ICTY's jurisdiction". "Operation Storm had the features of a limited military-police action and not an armed conflict on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, which, according to the rulings of international law relevant for the definition of international armed conflict, is under the jurisdiction of the ICTY," explained the Office. The office of the ICTY spokesperson on Tuesday declined to comment on news published in Croatian dailies about the request for Lt Gen Ante Gotovina to be heard at the Tribunal. The Zagreb-based daily "Vecernji list" on Tuesday reported that Gotovina was "summoned to The Hague for a hearing". (hina) mrb/rm 121913 MET may 98