MacShane stands firm

[ginger]

So will they let you guys in to the EU?

In response to the publication of the Foreign Affairs Committee Report on their Inquiry into UK policy towards the Western Balkans on 23 February, Denis MacShane UK Minister for Europe said:

'I welcome the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee's detailed Report on their wide-ranging inquiry into UK policy towards the Western Balkans. We will consider their recommendations carefully and provide a formal Government response in due course.

'The report endorses UK Government policy towards the Western Balkans overall. It supports our aim of enhancing stability and prosperity in the region by encouraging and assisting the region's closer relations with the EU and NATO and in particular, helping to create a safe and secure multi-ethnic Kosovo.

'I agree with the Committee's firm conclusion that the countries of the Western Balkans must cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) as a condition for closer Euro-Atlantic integration. In the year of the tenth anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre and the Dayton Peace Accords, it is all the more important that those who committed atrocities in the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, are brought to justice.

'In this respect, I welcome news of the transfer to The Hague Tribunal of former Bosnian Serb General Milan Gvero and reports of the imminent transfer of Bosniak General Rasim Delic. But I urge the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro to build on this to ensure their full cooperation with the ICTY, especially on transferring Mladic and Karadzic.

'I welcome the Committee's assessment that Croatia's progress towards the EU depends on full cooperation with the ICTY. I encourage the authorities in Zagreb to take all necessary steps to deliver Ante Gotovina to The Hague as soon as possible in order that accession negotiations can begin on 17 March.'

[Mirko1]

MacShane is talking nonsense! How can the CRO authorities arrest Gotovina if he is not in Croatia?

[irac]

mirko, through their intelligence services and underworld knowledge the Zagreb can surely at least come up with a shortlist of places to find the guy, I think it's fear of upsetting war vet's and leaving themselves open to proper scrutiny. Gotovina's a convenient excuse for Zagreb to say why the EU is stalling, if the full reasons were to emerge Sanader and his mob would be lynched

[steve peraic]

to hell with Mcshane and the EU and the uk and nato, when are the real criminals going to be called, douglas hurd, lords owen and carrington, bush senior and his cronies and all others who sat by and watched croatia burn

[Mirko1]

Irac, no it is not so easy to find Gotovina. He is not definately in Croatia. If MI6 and the French Secret Service cannot find Gotovina, how do you expect CRO police to find him.

[irac]

Mirko, he's probably in Otok Sinj living in the priests house ;D At least that's what the Captain in Knin Dom HV thinks

Really though, M16 and the French are not so able as we might believe. If the foreign legion aren't protecting him, and he's not hooked up with Nationalist terrorists in the North of Ireland, then the only people who do know where he is are ex-UDBA or at least former comrades. The man has to register somehow somewhere.

[Old Guest]

Guest-ginger said:

So will they let you guys in to the EU?

Nope, they will not.

"West Balcans", in translation - "Geographicaly not exactly Balcans, but since it is west from it, and since west has "copyright" ... and yet maybe it can be considered Balcans, even if it is not ... because it is west ... but then, if it is west ... rather not" ...

This is "political" explanation of simple answer, by Mr. McS.