BELGRADE, Feb. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Croatian President Stjepan Mesic urged Saturday fugitive general Ante Gotovina to surrender to theHague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the Beta news agency reported.

    Mesic said in Zagreb that the surrender is helpful for Croatia,the Croatian army and for Gotovina himself.

    "He should take the first step, then he can get all our guarantees that he will be free during the court case," Beta quoted Mesic as saying.

    Gotovina, charged by the ICTY of crimes against humanity, has been at large since 2001, after the indictment from Hague issued.

    Western countries pressure Croatia to cooperate with the ICTY and regard the cooperation as a condition for the country's bid ofjoining the European Union. Enditem