During a debate on reports by thepresident and the chief prosecutor of the Hague war crimes tribunal in the UNSecurity Council on Thursday, the British representative expresseddisappointment that Croatia had failed to do its utmost in an investigationinto missing military documents sought by prosecutors in the Gotovina case.

As regards Croatia, we agree that the establishment of a task force is apositive step and we welcome it. However, my government is disappointed thatthe Croatian government has not sufficiently demonstrated to the prosecutorthat it has explored all avenues in the investigation and that the keydocuments in the Gotovina case are yet to be located or it should beestablished what happened to them, said Britain's Deputy Ambassador to theUnited Nations, Philip Parham.

Britain's criticism contrasted with speeches by representatives of otherCouncil members who welcomed the progress Croatia had made in the investigationof missing documents concerning a 1995 military offensive known as OperationStorm.

Parham, however, did welcome new investigative steps being taken and calledupon Croatia to reach full cooperation with the Hague tribunal by undertakingfurther necessary measures to complete a comprehensive and credibleinvestigation into locating the missing documents or establishing what happenedto them.

Several EU members led by Britain are against the European Commissionopening negotiations with Croatia in the Judiciary and Fundamental Rightschapter until chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz has reported that Croatia isfully cooperating with his office.

Despite his positive assessment of Croatia's progress, Brammertz did notexplicitly confirm that Croatia was fully cooperating.