Brussels, 03/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council of 30 September reaffirmed its support for the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and called on the countries of the Balkans to fully co-operate with it. A special appeal was sent out to Croatia that continues to refuse to hand over to the ICTY the Croat General Janko Bobetko, recently indicted for his alleged responsibility in the assassination of some hundred Serbs in September 1993 in the Medak pocket, south of Zagreb.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: the Council considered that the "road map", first stage in the stabilisation and association process with the EU, was practically complete. In the run up to the general elections of 5 October, the Council encouraged the electors to choose those "who are genuinely devoted to the economic and legal reforms Bosnia-Herzegovina needs". Yugoslavia: the Council recalled that it was essential that the Constitutional Charter and the action plan on the internal market, trade and customs, be adopted in compliance with the 14 March agreement, to make further progress towards the EU. Welcoming the first round of the presidential elections, of 29 September in Serbia, the Council called on parties to contribute to a satisfactory conduct of the second round (13 October) an the parliamentary elections in Montenegro on 14 October. Macedonia: the Council welcomed the orderly way in which the recent elections were held, and hoped for the rapid formation of the new government, assuring total implementation of the Ohrid framework-agreement and the stabilisation and associations process with the EU. Following the departure of Alain Leroy, the Council appointed Ambassador Alexis Brouhns as its new Special Representative. Albania: the Council welcomed the country's political stability after the presidential elections of June an the undertaking by the new government to rapidly implement the required reforms.