CROATIAN GOVT DESCRIBES TRIBUNAL'S REQUEST AS NOT APPROPRIATE

ZAGREB, Feb 18 (Hina) - Regarding the reiterated request of the International Tribunal in The Hague in the form of a "Subpoena duces tecum", which the Tribunal issued on 14 February 1997, the Croatian Office for Cooperation with the Tribunal issued the following statement on behalf of the Croatian government: "It is the stance of the Croatian government that the request which the Tribunal forwarded to the Republic of Croatia and its official is not appropriate and is not based on the Tribunal's Statute and the Rules of Procedure and evidence and relevant regulations of international law. To that effect, the Republic of Croatia forwarded to the Tribunal an accounted reply to the previous request. At the same time, the Republic of Croatia stresses that it remains to be devoted to cooperation with the Tribunal, in line with its Statute and Rules of Procedure, international law and the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Croatia on Cooperation with the International Crimes Tribunal," the statement said. (hina) lm mm 181439 MET feb 97