GRANIC AND KOSTOVIC RECEIVE JUDGE GOLDSTONE - STATEMENT

ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mate Granic, and Deputy Foreign Minister Ivica Kostovic today received the chief prosecutor of the Hague-based International War Crimes Tribunal, Judge Richard Goldstone, and his associates, a Foreign Ministry statement said. Granic informed Goldstone of the progress and successful termination of a limited Croatian police and military operation in Western Slavonia and the restoration of civil authority in the region. Granic said that Croatia had secured access to the region for all international observers. Kostovic presented data on the total number of the killed in the operation, their identification and burial sites. Kostovic said that 186 out of 1,494 people who had been arrested were still under investigation. He also presented data on the number of civilians who stayed in Western Slavonia and applied for Croatian citizenship, and of those who had chosen to leave Croatia. The talks also focused on starting an inquiry at the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague into the criminal attacks on Zagreb of May 2 and 3, and the continuation of an investigation into mass crimes committed in the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar in 1991. Croatia would continue its active cooperation with the Tribunal, Granic said. Goldstone thanked the Croatian government for very good cooperation and assistance, as well as for its readiness to continue such cooperation, the statement said. (hina) jn vm 221638 MET may 95