Croatia has ruled out granting temporary asylum to Saddam Hussein's former foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, if he is freed and allowed to seek medical treatment for cancer.
Aziz wrote to Croatia requesting consideration of a formal asylum demand, if he was released by the Iraqi government.
A series of letters from Aziz and his associates have been released to the media. One said:
"We are therefore requesting an urgent response as to whether the Croatian government would permit ... Tariq Aziz and his family interim residence in Croatia in the event the Iraqi government accedes to our request".
Aziz's lawyers have filed an application with the Iraqi government for his immediate release and have asked France, Italy and Sweden if they could accept him for urgent medical treatment.
However, Aziz's family have asked that he be allowed to temporarily stay in Croatia; because it is considered as a neutral country regarding the war in Iraq.
Aziz has been accused of two counts of mass murder, allegedly committed in 1979 and 1991. He faces the death penalty if he is found guilty.
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