The Croatian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign and European Affairs Ministers, Vesna Pusic, in Zagreb on Monday called for the continuation of cooperation with Serbia and for defusing the tensions after the ICTY acquittal of Croatian Generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac with which Belgrade is not satisfied.
"We are cooperating in a number of things which at this moment may not be politically visible and sensitive, but they are certainly important for the two countries," Pusic told reporters on the fringes of the fourth Forum of Western Balkan Civil Societies that started in Zagreb today.
The history teaches us that is is exceptionally important for neighbours to have communication, contacts and cooperation in issues on which a political process can be built, Pusic said advocating a more responsible leadership aimed at resolving and calming tensions.
Earlier today, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said in an interview with the Belgrade-based Kurir daily that relations with Croatia were no going well, that Croatia was a country that celebrated its crimes, and that it was "cynical" that Ante Gotovina had called on ethnic Serbs to return to Croatia after his acquittal.
Nikolic said that he had had "big plans to finally draw a line under it" and establish good relations with Croatia and Bosnia.
"Croatian President (Ivo Josipovic) was, until this ruling (in Gotovina case), looking for reasons why we should not reconcile. The story that he was angry because I said something about Vukovar was a lie. He was waiting for this verdict. He now wants to talk - I, as president of a people who committed crimes, and he, as president of a nation which has not been convicted of anything," Nikolic said, in an ironic comment, in the interview.
Serbia must look for a way to cooperate with Croatia in economic and other areas of joint interest, Nikolic further stated, and added: "However, it is obvious that we cannot cooperate in a sincere and open manner with a country that celebrates its crimes. It cannot be done! It doesn't go that way! In whose name? On behalf of the victims, on behalf of their children?"
When the daily's reporter noted that he would once again draw criticism for this "harsh words", the president said: "Well, let them blame me. I will always be blamed for my harsh words, while Croats will go unpunished for their crimes."
