Zagreb, 26.10.93 - A delegation of the Radical party formed by: Dr. Zdravko Tomac, Tereza Ganza-Aras, Muhamed Zulic, deputies of the Croatian Parliament and members of the Radical party, Sandro Ottoni, member of the secretariat and Marijana Stefanic, member of the general council, was received today by the President of the Croatian Parliament, Stipe Mesic and by the Croatian foreign minister Dr. Mate Granic.

President Mesic spoke in high terms of the Radical Party, which he called the "conscience of the world", and repeated the Croatian parliament's full support to the urgent constitution of the International Tribunal. Moreover he underlined the need to give greater powers of extradition to the Tribunal so that criminals may be prosecuted also in their own country. Lastly he invited the radical delegation to a new encounter after the meeting with Boutros Ghali.

On receiving the delegation in the new seat of the foreign ministry, the foreign minister, Mr. Mate Ganic, welcomed the guests as the first delegation to be received there. He firmly reiterated his personal support and the support of his government to the radical initiative, remembering that the Croatian government was the first to request the creation of such tribunal in October 1991. While not personally endorsing the radical party's appeal, Minister Granic decided to send a declaration to the press in support of the campaign.

Several journalists were attending the meeting.

Below is the Croatian foreign minister's press release:

REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

PRESS RELEASE

ZAGREB, OCTOBER 28, '93

The vice prime minister and foreign minister of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Mate Granic, received today a delegation of the transnational radical party...

The guests told minister Ganic that a delegation of the transnational radical party will meet UN Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali in early November to hand him a petition signed by some 100,000 personalities from all over the world. Such petition requests the international war crimes tribunal to begin operating at once, and to try not just the material executors of the crimes committed in the territory of former Yugoslavia but the politicians as well, who with their influence have caused the war crimes (Z. Tomac's declaration, ed.). Minister Ganic recalled that Croatia was the first to suggest the creation of the International Tribunal, in November 1991, and that it has in the meantime taken a series of initiatives, both international, juridical and diplomatic, to obtain a prompt start of the activities.

Minister Ganic added that Croatia will support and participate in the work of this tribunal, and will accept its decisions. He also underlined his personal support to the Transnational radical Party's activity, stressing that this came at the most suitable moment and in complete agreement with Croatia's views on the creation and activity of the tribunal.