Croatian-Serbian commission to exchange indictees's lists

Bosnjakovic also said that there was a "grey zone" of non-centralised data in Serbia.

All outstanding issues will be on the agenda, Bosnjakovic told Croatian Television.

The list of those accused or convicted of war crimes became topical last Wednesday after Croatian veteran Tihomir Purda was arrested when attempting to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina, following an Interpol arrest warrant issued at the request of the Serbian police, although he was not on the list of some 40 people which Serbia had previously forwarded to Croatia.

"We received a ... list from Serbia and from that list we know who underwent trial and the phase everyone is in. We also forwarded our list to the other side with the aim to avoid situations like this one, namely so that our bodies and theirs know against whom procedures have been launched," Bosnjakovic said.

Commenting on a reporter's claim that Purda was not on that list, but was arrested nevertheless, Bosnjakovic said this matter was up for discussion with Serbian bodies.

He stressed there was a "grey zone", namely the activities of the military prosecutor's office and military courts in Serbia in the early 1990s. Certain verdicts were handed down and indictments were issued and forwarded to district courts, so now they don't have centralised data, he said.

Asked how many people were in grey zones, the minister said this was now a matter for discussion which is why the two countries had a commission which should establish who is on those lists and prevent cases such as Purda's from happening.

Commenting on the list containing the names of 340 people allegedly accused by the Serbian authorities, which was published by the Croatian media, Bosnjakovic said the official Serbian bodies denied that such a list even existed.

Earlier on Monday, the Croatian Social Liberal party (HSLS) issued a statement condemning Purda's arrest, asking Croatian President Ivo Josipovic and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor to get involved so that the case could be resolved under fast-track procedure.