MESIC, RACAN DENY THEY KNEW ABOUT INDICTMENT AGAINST STIPETIC

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Hina) - Crpatian President Stipe Mesic said he did know about any investigation or indictment against Croatian general Petar Stipetic, and Prime Minister Ivica Racan said he had spoken with the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, on two occasions, and had "not heard" her accuse the Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff. Asked by Croatian reporters in Washington Tuesday about Drazen Budiza's statement that Carla del Ponte had mentioned Stipetic as one possible suspect of war crimes during her last visit to Zagreb, Mesic said Budisa should be asked where he got this information and how he knew Mesic knew anything about it. Racan said he did not know about investigations being conducted by the war crimes tribunal, but during his last two meetings with del Ponte there had not been a word about probing General Stipetic. "There were and will be problems in cooperation with the Hague- based Tribunal, but we are defending our position and interests the best through cooperation and dialogue with the Tribunal," Racan said. Mesic stressed Croatia's support to the independence of the tribunal of any political influence, and Racan said he would speak more on the subject upon arrival to Zagreb. (hina) lml