GENERAL STIPETIC WITHOUT COMMENT ON BUDISA'S STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Aug 7 (Hina) - Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Petar Stipetic told Croatian Television (HTV) Monday night he did not wish to comment on a statement made by Drazen Budisa that the information, published in the "Globus" weekly that the international war crimes tribunal chief prosecutor, Carla del Ponte had mentioned Stipetic as one possible suspect of war crimes, was correct. Budisa said Monday del Ponte had disclosed this information during her last talks with senior Croatian officials in Zagreb. Asked by the HTV whether he was shocked with Budisa's claim he was truly on the list of suspects of the Hague-based tribunal, Stipetic said he would "not comment his statement". "I am not prepared to do this, but I stand behind everything I said previously regarding this case". The HTV also reported General Stipetic had said he was surprised, and was prepared to defend himself and speak with the tribunal's investigators as he felt not guilty. He reiterated, however, "the issue at hand is internal political games". "I think that the people who were told this would have told me so openly," Stipetic said, adding "I have earned this. If I haven't, let them do something else. Such a person then should not be a chief- of-staff". (hina) lml