"Gotovina should be tried in Croatia"

The three former Croatian generals the Hague indicted for war crimes should undergo trial in Croatia, Stjepan Mesić says.

Izvor: B92, Tanjug

Saturday, 06.10.2007.

13:50

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The three former Croatian generals the Hague indicted for war crimes should undergo trial in Croatia, Stjepan Mesic says. The Croatian president believes that his country's legal system is capable of handling "even the most complicated cases," and therefore believes that Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac, charged with 1995 Operation Storm war crimes against ethnic Serbs and awaiting trial in a Hague detention unit, should face justice at home. "Gotovina should be tried in Croatia" Mesic also said Croatia should try the three former JNA officers charged with war crimes committed against Croats in 1991 in Vukovar, "since the Hague indictment narrowed down only to Ovcara." Two of the three defendants were last week sentenced to prison terms, while the third was cleared of all charges and released. Friday evening, a Vukovar court issued an international warrant for the arrest of Miroslav Radic, acquitted by the Hague. Mesic admitted that the three could not be charged with other crimes, and added that the Croatian prosecution can use evidence available at the Hague to try and build its own case. Meanwhile, Croatian parliament speaker Vladimir Seks was not hopeful Hague might agree to hand over the trial of the three former Croatian generals to Zagreb, since, in his words, the Tribunal always stood against anything "in favor of the generals' defense." "A transfer request must be submitted by their defense counsel, not the government," Seks said, and added that the Op Storm Three were so far assisted via "quiet diplomacy". Seks also said, without elaborating, that it would be "important" for the UN court's "exit strategy to allow Gotovina temporary release." Stjepan Mesic, center (Beta)

"Gotovina should be tried in Croatia"

Mesić also said Croatia should try the three former JNA officers charged with war crimes committed against Croats in 1991 in Vukovar, "since the Hague indictment narrowed down only to Ovčara."

Two of the three defendants were last week sentenced to prison terms, while the third was cleared of all charges and released.

Friday evening, a Vukovar court issued an international warrant for the arrest of Miroslav Radić, acquitted by the Hague.

Mesić admitted that the three could not be charged with other crimes, and added that the Croatian prosecution can use evidence available at the Hague to try and build its own case.

Meanwhile, Croatian parliament speaker Vladimir Šeks was not hopeful Hague might agree to hand over the trial of the three former Croatian generals to Zagreb, since, in his words, the Tribunal always stood against anything "in favor of the generals' defense."

"A transfer request must be submitted by their defense counsel, not the government," Šeks said, and added that the Op Storm Three were so far assisted via "quiet diplomacy".

Šeks also said, without elaborating, that it would be "important" for the UN court's "exit strategy to allow Gotovina temporary release."

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