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http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/da/Qyugo-army.RRAg_CuO.html Yugoslav army chief sacked but refuses to stand down -He...accused Kostunica of using the army in support of his political party, after earlier telling the Tanjug news agency that the United States was behind calls for his dismissal. -[H]e was also seen in the West as an obstacle to closer links between Belgrade and the Western powers. BELGRADE, June 25 (AFP) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica on Monday sacked the head of the army, General Nebojsa Pavkovic, but the close ally of former Belgrade strongman Slobodan Milosevic refused to stand down. Kostunica, under pressure since taking office in 2000 to remove the general, appealed to the army to support the decision and said the time had come for Pavkovic to go. The army general staff met late Monday at the behest of Pavkovic and a statement was to be released on Tuesday, Serbian television reported. No details of the meeting were given. The television said Kostunica had called another general staff meeting for Tuesday morning. "Whatever are the merits of General Pavkovic, and they are not being questioned, the army and the state today need new capacities, and I am extremely disappointed by the decision of General Pavkovic to leave in this non-military manner," Kostunica said on state television. Earlier his cabinet issued a statement announcing that Pavkovic, seen as one of the nation's last official links to the Milosevic era of the catastrophic Balkans wars, had been relieved of his duties. General Branko Krga, number two to Pavkovic, was appointed to replace him and declared that he would act "in line with the constitution." But Pavkovic, named to the top army post by Milosevic, accused the president of acting out of "personal vengeance" and said he would not stand down. Kostunica "decided that my service will end tomorrow (Tuesday) as if I was the biggest rascal in the country," he said on RTS television. "Of course I refused and I will not carry out this order. I ask for protection from the highest organs of the state," Pavkovic said. He said the president had "decided on his own initiative, without a decision by the supreme defense council, to fire me in an illegal manner, which of course I rejected." Pavkovic later held a press conference, where he insisted: "This is not a coup d'etat, but the president's decision is illegal." He said a meeting of the army general staff had been convened to discuss the crisis. He also accused Kostunica of using the army in support of his political party, after earlier telling the Tanjug news agency that the United States was behind calls for his dismissal. But Pavkovic promised to back Krga, his designated successor, who said in a written statement quoted by Tanjug: "I will fulfil my duty with responsibility, honorably and professionally in line with the constitution, the law and regulations." Krga added: "I am convinced that the other members of the Yugoslav army will do the same as it is a serious, responsible institution within which the norms are respected." Pavkovic was named to the top army job after serving as the regional commander for Kosovo during the war in the province. His departure would leave Serbian President Milan Milutinovic as the only close former Milosevic ally who has kept his post since the onetime strongman was toppled in a popular revolt in October 2000. Milosevic has been on trial at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague since February 12 on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes over the 1990s wars in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo. Kostunica called on the army to act in the best service of the nation, which has been whittled down to a loose federation of Serbia and Montenegro since the collapse of communism. "No man can be more important than the institution which he manages or the country of which he is a citizen," the president said, calling on the army to "continue as it has done to exercise its work with responsibility and honour." Keeping Pavkovic on despite Western pressure was widely interpreted as an act of gratitude to the general, who is credited with not bringing out the military force to crush the popular revolt which ousted Milosevic in 2000. But he was also seen in the West as an obstacle to closer links between Belgrade and the Western powers. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
