WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL: CROATIAN RESPONSE

CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 00023

SIPDIS

AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY ANKARA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000023

SIPDIS


EMBASSY VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL MOPS HR BK
SUBJECT: WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL: CROATIAN RESPONSE

REF: STATE 385591


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
-

2. AS REQUESTED IN REFTEL, AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH
CALLED ON FOREIGN MINISTER GRANIC JANUARY 13 TO
DISCUSS ASSISTANCE TO THE PROSECUTOR FOR THE WAR
CRIMES TRIBUNAL. HE LEFT A COPY OF THE TALKING
POINTS IN THE REFTEL.


3. THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE
IN THE AREAS OF IDENTIFICATION AND INTERROGATION OF
WITNESSES, AND APPREHENSION OF SUSPECTED PERPETRATORS,
NOTING THAT CROATIA ALMOST CERTAINLY HAS ONE OF THE
LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF POTENTIAL WITNESSES TO WAR
CRIMES COMMITTED IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA.
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4. GRANIC REPLIED THAT CROATIA WILL GIVE "VERY
STRONG SUPPORT" TO THE WORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL
CRIMES TRIBUNAL. HE STATED THAT, AT THE MOMENT,
INFORMATION ON WAR CRIMES IS SCATTERED AMONG VARIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS. GRANIC MENTIONED THE LEADING ROLE
PLAYED TO DATE BY DR. IVICA KOSTAVIC, DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER AND CROATIAN AMBASSADOR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WAR
CRIMES HEADED BY DR. (AND SUPREME COURT PRESIDENT)
VUKOVIC AS WELL AS SEVERAL PRIVATE GROUPS HAD BEEN
ESPECIALLY ACTIVE IN THIS AREA.


5. ASKED IF CROATIA HAD ANY PLANS TO CONSOLIDATE THE
INFORMATION ON HAND AND DESIGNATE A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL
AS COORDINATOR ON WAR CRIMES ISSUES, GRANIC REPLIED
THAT HE WOULD BE DISCUSSING THE MATTER WITH KOSTOVIC
"WHO IS THE ONE WHO KNOWS BEST." HE PROMISED TO
PROVIDE US WITH A LIST OF PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS BY
THE END OF THE WEEK.


6. WITH RESPECT TO IDENTIFYING AND DETAINING
SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINALS, INCLUDING POSSIBLY CROATS,
GRANIC REPLIED THAT CROATIA WAS IN PRONCIPLE PREPARED
TO COOPERATE BUT THAT HE WANTED TO EXAMINE OUR POINTS
IN MORE DETAIL AND WOULD WOULD GIVE AN OFFICIAL REPLY
IN WRITING BY THE END OF THE WEEK. WHEN IT WAS
POINTED OUT THAT AMBASSADOR ALBRIGHT WOULD LIKELY
RAISE THESE ISSUES DURING HER VISIT TO CROATIA,
GRANIC STATED THAT THE GOC WOULD BE READY TO REPLY TO
HER QUESTIONS ON THIS SUBJECT.
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GALBRAITH


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