Setback to Croatia's EU talks

CROATIA: Chief UN war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte dented Croatia's hopes of starting EU accession talks yesterday when she declared herself deeply disappointed by Zagreb's failure to catch fugitive general Ante Gotovina.

Ms del Ponte is to brief EU members on Monday about Croatia's search for Gen Gotovina, who has been on the run since 2001, after her sharp criticism of Zagreb's efforts to catch him put membership talks on hold in March.

Croatia had hoped for better news from Ms del Ponte after she said this week she was "very pleased" with Serbia's co-operation with the UN tribunal at The Hague, despite the fact that its main war crimes suspect, Gen Radko Mladic, is still at large.

But while Ms del Ponte declined to answer questions after meeting Croatian president Stipe Mesic and prime minister Ivo Sanader, her few words were downbeat.

"You cannot imagine how disappointed I am," she said. "[The] prime minister has promised me full co-operation, but we still have the same problem. Gotovina is still at large.

"I need to deliver my opinion to the EU on Monday. My assessment is intended for them, and I still have two more days."

Ms del Ponte did offer a little hope to Zagreb by praising "some positive developments" since her damning March report, which prompted a shake-up of the police and intelligence services and raids on various associates of Gen Gotovina, whose forces are accused of murdering scores of Serb civilians at the end of the 1991-95 war. Earlier this month Ms del Ponte accused Croatia's Franciscan monasteries of hiding Gen Gotovina, and she accused the Vatican of conspiring in his protection by refusing to press the Catholic Church in Croatia to reveal his whereabouts.

The Vatican denies the allegation, and Croatia's leaders insist the general, who is still widely regarded as a hero in his homeland, is no longer in the country.

Ms del Ponte has called EU membership the most powerful inducement for Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia to catch war crimes suspects.

She fears their enthusiasm for the task would evaporate once membership was granted or within sight.

A grim-faced Mr Sanader said yesterday that Croatia was determined to solve the case of Gen Gotovina - a veteran of the French Foreign Legion - "regardless of whether the [ EU] negotiations begin now or not".

As well as avoiding reporters' questions, Ms del Ponte also cancelled a briefing for EU diplomats in Zagreb over an issue that is growing in diplomatic sensitivity.

Austrian leaders are threatening to delay Turkey's EU accession talks on Monday by opposing full membership for Ankara.

They are also the main supporters of Croatia's bid and, if it got the green light, they could perhaps claim a diplomatic victory while quietly backing down over Turkey.

"It's a balancing act," said one EU diplomat in Zagreb of Ms del Ponte's decision.

"She wants to see what will happen with Turkey and is keeping all the options open."