OBSTRUCTION OF RELIEF AID IS A WAR CRIME, SAYS MADELEINE ALBRIGHT

ZAGREB, Jan 7 (Hina) - US ambassador to the UN. Madeleine Albright called on all the warring sides in Bosnia-Herzegovina to permit free passage of humanitarian aid. The U.S. government held the view that obstruction of the delivery of relief aid came within the competency of the war-crimes tribunal, Ambassador Albright said. Ambassador Albright also said that the US would not allow the sanctions to be lifted if the Serbs obstructed the work of the war- crimes tribunal. "An investigator appointed by the war-crimes tribunal has the authority to examine each and every piece of evidence, no matter whom it implicated, and without any exception," Ambassador Albright stressed, adding that the issue was broached during her meeting with President Tudjman on Thursday evening. Ambassador Albright expressed herself as satisfied that President Tudjman and the Croatian Government would extend full support to the tribunal. After the news conference, Ambassador Albright left for Warsaw. She was joined by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili, who will accompany her on the rest of her European tour. 071433 MET jan 94