UN Wire Alert

Wednesday, April 19, 2000

Croatia Agrees To Cooperate With Tribunal

Croatia's Parliament last week pledged to cooperate fully with the ICTY, giving the tribunal jurisdiction over war crimes committed during and after the 1991 - 95 Croat-Serb conflict.

They also promised to provide the tribunal with all documents the court requires and pledged that the Croatian judiciary will seek to bring to justice anyone responsible for war crimes.

"With the passage of this declaration the tribunal is satisfied that genuine cooperation now exists," and the tribunal will no longer urge action by the Security Council, said Paul Risley, spokesperson for the ICTY (HINA News Agency/BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 19 Apr). Upon further review, del Ponte may withdraw her call for UN sanctions on Croatia (Reuters/Central Europe Online, 19 Apr).

Meanwhile, investigators for the tribunal began digging yesterday at a suspected mass grave site outside the central Croatian town of Gospic. Between 60 and 120 people, mostly Serbs, disappeared there in late 1991 and were presumed to be buried near the town.