CROATIA: Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY visits Zagreb, but does not say if he is happy with Croatia's cooperation with the court

Record ID: 644719

  • Title: CROATIA: Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY visits Zagreb, but does not say if he is happy with Croatia's cooperation with the court
  • Date: 1st June 2010
  • Summary: ZAGREB, CROATIA (MAY 28, 2010) (REUTERS) CROATIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING WITH CROATIAN AND EUROPEAN UNION (EU) FLAGS FLYING CROATIAN AND EU FLAG (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF U.N. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SERGE BRAMMERTZ AND CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER JADRANKA KOSOR POSING FOR CAMERAS BRAMMERTZ SITTING DOWN FOR MEETING KOSOR SEATED FOR MEETING KOSOR AND BRAMMERTZ ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF U.N. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SERGE BRAMMERTZ, SAYING: "But we mainly discussed the still outstanding request for military documents." MEDIA AND SPEAKER PODIUM IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF U.N. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SERGE BRAMMERTZ, SAYING: "We still indeed think that a number of investigative avenues can be pursued and we very strongly hope that more results can be achieved." BRAMMERTZ AND KOSOR AT SPEAKER PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF U.N. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SERGE BRAMMERTZ, SAYING: "So I am very much looking forward to continue this cooperation and as the prime minister said we both hope that additional results can be achieved." (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER JADRANKA KOSOR, SAYING: "I told Mr. Brammertz that we have undertaken an exhaustive investigation in the case of the missing documents and we have applied the same principles as in our fight against corruption. And those principles are that nothing and no one is untouchable." BRAMMERTZ AND KOSOR SHAKING HANDS AND WALKING AWAY KOSOR GETTING INTO CAR IN FRONT OF ENTRANCE TO CROATIAN GOVERNMENT PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET, ST. MARK'S CHURCH IN BACKGROUND
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Croatia
  • Country: Croatia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVADW1E41AYRWU1NSI91GWENYDOF
  • Story Text: The chief prosecutor of the U.N. war crimes tribunal left Croatia on Friday (May 28) without specifying if he was content with its cooperation - cooperation which is crucial for the fate of Zagreb's European Union membership bid.
    Serge Brammertz said only that he hoped more results could be achieved in the case of outstanding request for military documents.
    "We mainly discussed the still outstanding request for military documents," Brammertz told a news conference in Zagreb after meeting Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.
    "We still indeed think that a number of investigative avenues can be pursued and we very strongly hope that more results can be achieved," he added.
    Croatia is in the final stage of EU entry negotiations, divided into 33 chapters or policy areas. It aims to conclude the talks in the next 12 months and join the bloc in 2012.
    Cooperation with the tribunal is an essential part of the political criteria for accession and a nod from Brammertz is needed if Zagreb is to make progress in the 'judiciary chapter', one of the most exhaustive policy areas, often described as "the chapter of all chapters".
    In the past, Brammertz insisted that Croatia was not fully compliant because it failed to hand over the documents he had requested more than two years ago. Croatia said it had turned every stone but could not find some of them.
    His stance prompted EU members Great Britain and the Netherlands to block the opening of the talks on judiciary with Croatia, but have since lifted their reserves and some diplomats in the EU believe Zagreb could open the talks in June.
    Brammertz, who will brief EU ministers on June 14 appeared somewhat more upbeat on Friday after his talks with Kosor, said general issues of cooperation were not problematic.
    Kosor, whose ascent to power last July provided a crucial impetus to a renewed anti-corruption campaign -- another crucial requirement for EU talks -- said her cabinet was cooperating "fully and honestly" with the tribunal.
    "I told Mr. Brammertz that we have undertaken an exhaustive investigation in the case of the missing documents and we have applied the same principles as in our fight against corruption. And those principles are that nothing and no one is untouchable," she said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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