The presidents of Croatia and Serbia, Ivo Josipovic and Boris Tadic, said in the Croatian coastal resort town of Opatija on March 24 that the countries' mutual genocide lawsuits with the International Court of Justice could be settled out of court.

Tadic told reporters after the meeting that it would be good for the matter to end in a settlement, "which does not mean the end of court proceedings against those who have committed crimes." He stressed that all those who have committed crimes must be brought to justice.

"We are prepared to work on a solution that would represent a compromise, but which would not annul the principles of justice," the Serbian president said.

His Croatian counterpart pointed out that the lawsuit is not an end in itself, stressing that "if there is a possibility for a settlement in the issues that are the subject of the lawsuit, then it would make no sense."

Both presidents endorsed building better relations between the two countries based on the principles of European partnership.

This was Tadic's first meeting with the new Croatian president, which took place, according to Croatian sources, by mutual agreement in a bid to encourage dialogue on unresolved matters.