ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has confirmed that fugitive general Ante Gotovina has been arrested and that he has been informed of his arrest by Hague tribunal chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte.

The Hague tribunal and Spanish authorities are now discussing the transfer of the general to The Hague, Sanader told a government session in Zagreb on Thursday.

This finally confirms the credibility of claims by Croatia and its institutions that Gotovina is not in Croatia, Sanader said, adding that those claims were based on information gathered by relevant institutions.

The PM reiterated that there was no alternative to the rule of law.

"The Constitutional Court's law on cooperation with the Hague tribunal, adopted ten years ago, defines very clearly cooperation with the tribunal. We are bound to respect domestic legislation as well as our international obligations," Sanader said, adding that all indictees had to face and respond to their charges.

It is in Croatia's interest to establish the full truth in the case of General Gotovina, as well as in the cases of generals Mladen Markac, Ivan Cermak, Rahim Ademi and six Bosnian Croats indicted by the tribunal, Sanader said. Croatia will do its best so that full truth is established, he added.

He stressed that in the latest case, as well as in the case of any other indictee, one basic rule should be respected - presumption of innocence.