Recalling the killings, crimes and genocide that marked the past century, from Hitler to Rwanda and Bosnia, that might have been stopped if the international community had not hesitated, Minister Žužul cited the example of Srebrenica, that would not have happened if the international community had not failed to react to Milošević’s intentions in Vukovar. He pointed out the necessity of establishing a mechanism for early warning and the prevention of armed conflicts, ethnic cleansing and genocide, greeting the efforts of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, as well as the setting up of the International Criminal Tribunal. Minister Žužul added that in all of the meetings he had in the past month since he took the office he always pointed out the dedication of the new government to full co-operation with the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague. The International Conference on Genocide Prevention “Stockholm International Forum 2004” is the world’s biggest conference on the subject since the adoption of the Geneva Convention in 1949. Apart from taking part at the conference, Minister Žužul had two separate bilateral meetings. The meeting with the US Ambassador for War Crimes Issues Pierre Richard Prosper is a continuation of the meetings held during recent visit to the US by Minister Žužul and the President of the Croatian Parliament Vladimir Šeks. Minister Žužul and Ambassador Prosper talked today about Croatia’s co-operation with the International Tribunal in the Hague and America’s support of this co-operation. During today’s meeting in Stockholm, Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Brauzauskas and Croatian Foreign Minister Žužul described the relations between the two countries as excellent, and agreed on intensifying the co-operation, especially in the field of tourism and economy. Lithuanian Prime Minister announced the possibility of opening a Lithuanian embassy in Zagreb, that would act as Lithuania’s only diplomatic representation in this part of Europe. The International Conference on Genocide Prevention will continue tomorrow.

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