• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=10/11/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=YUGOSLAVIA / POLITICS (L-UPDATE)

BYLINE=EVE CONANT

DATELINE=BELGRADE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///EDS: UPDATES 2-267742 WITH NEW INFORMATION///

INTRO: Supporters of ousted Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic struck back on Wednesday, announcing they were reestablishing control over Serbia's police forces following the resignation of the country's Interior Minister. Correspondent Eve Conant in Belgrade reports the standoff between the new Federal government and Serbia's pro-Milosevic old regime comes as the U-S envoy to the Balkans is due to arrive/has arrived in the region for talks with President Vojislav Kostunica on lifting sanctions against Yugoslavia.

TEXT: A senior member of Slobodan Milosevic's socialist party, Branislav Ivkovic, said Serbia's pro-Milosevic Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic had taken direct control of Serbia's 100 thousand strong police force, following the resignation earlier this week of Serbia's Interior Minister.

The Tanjug news agency quoted Serbian government officials as threatening to clamp down on what they called "violence and illegal acts" by democratic forces in Serbia. Mr. Ivkovic was quoted as saying criminal groups were causing chaos and anarchy.

The comments cast a shadow over what the opposition had said was an agreement reached Monday on holding new elections in December and supporting the creation of an interim government. Serbia's Prime Minister and Interior Minister have both resigned, but the Milosevic loyalists in the Serbian government broke off talks with the new democratic leadership on Tuesday, dashing hopes of a cooperation with Mr. Kostunica's aim to build a government of "experts" to help pull the country out of crisis.

Supporters of President Kostunica have threatened renewed mass protests unless accord is reached.

The standoff comes as President Clinton's Chief Advisor to the Balkans, James O'Brien, begins a tour to region expected to include Belgrade, Kosovo, Sarajevo, and Bosnia-Herzogovina. U-S Ambassador to Yugoslavia William Montgomery arrived in Belgrade late Wednesday. The visit by the U-S delegation is the first high level meeting between U-S officials and the new Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and will address the lifting of sanctions, and aid for the shattered economy.

/// OPT /// Socialist party spokesman, Borislav Ivkovic, said the new government "lacks authority to make decisions affecting Serbia," and that only "decisions of legal bodies on the Serbian, not Yugoslav, level will be respected." Still it was not clear how much leverage the pro-Milosevic parties have over the police forces and whether any orders from them would be obeyed.

Mr. Ivkovic said the Serbian government has a four-year mandate and is not legally required to step down. He said the government would ignore decisions of the crisis committee created by President Kostunica to negotiate a transfer of power following his swearing-in ceremony.

A member of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, Cedomir Jovanovic scoffed at the idea, saying, "formally or not, the police are not under the control of the Serbian Prime Minister, because if they were, we would not be talking right now." He said that from the start of the uprising the police had "sided with people, even when under direct orders to fire," and that the police forces, in his words, "do not want to lead the country into civil war." /// End OPT ///

Presidential advisor Zoran Djindjic said any attempt to misuse police forces would risk a "renewed popular revolt." He said the Serbian government could in his words, "declare itself not only legal, but omnipotent, but," as Mr. Djindjic explains, "they have no control over eighty percent of the processes in this country." The former campaign manager of President Kostunica explained, "we are tired of haggling and manipulations," warning that democratic forces would call on people to come to the streets," if the pro-Milosevic majority in Serbia's parliament refuses to step aside. (Signed)

NEB/EC/GE