Guardian: US navy sends reinforcements to Adriatic ahead of poll Special report: Serbia Jonathan Steele Thursday September 21, 2000 The Yugoslav president, Slobodan Milosevic, flew to an army base in Montenegro yesterday to denounce his opponents as "rabbits, rats and even hyenas" and warn the west not to interfere in elections on Sunday, which the opinion polls indicate that he cannot win. Scores of Mr Milosevic's critics have been detained and with tension rising the chief opposition candidate, Vojislav Kostunica, has warned that the president could use fraud to stay in power. Western governments fear he will use the army to crush protests if he is declared the winner. A US aircraft carrier is being sent to the Adriatic. It was Mr Milosevic's first visit to Montenegro - which with Serbia makes up Yugoslavia - since he became federal president three years ago. His helicopter brought him to the rally near the town of Berane, within 15 miles of Kosovo, where Nato-led troops could have arrested him on war crimes charges brought by the Hague tribunal last year. The republic of Montenegro is deeply divided and its pro-western government, led by Milo Djukanovic, is boycotting the Yugoslav election. A former Serbian information minister, Aleksandar Tijanic, warned that Mr Milosevic was preparing to arrest the Montenegrin president. Mr Djukanovic said last night that Montenegro would defend itself if Mr Milosevic provoked a military clash. Speaking to Russian television, he said: "If Milosevic decides to provoke a military conflict with Montenegro, we would have no choice but to defend our freedom." A US navy spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that the aircraft carrier George Washington would arrive in the Adriatic from the Persian Gulf on about September 30. "This is much the normal tour of duty," the spokeswoman said. "There hasn't been a carrier in the Adriatic for about three or four months and the George Washington is on its way back to the Atlantic." Mr Milosevic yesterday told a crowd of 10,000 supporters bussed in from nearby towns: "Our country is the focus of much attention from the world's strongest nations, as if mankind has no other worries but how ... Serbs and Montenegrins will govern their joint state." Many in the crowd shouted "Slobo, Slobo" and "We are all Yugoslavia". He has clamped down on the independent media and ordered police to confiscate computers and other material from Serbian election monitoring groups. Under the law, independent observers have no right to enter polling stations or attend the count. Despite the pressures, the opposition has done remarkably well by uniting behind Mr Kostunica, a Belgrade lawyer, Only the maverick Serbian Renewal Movement is running a separate candidate. An opinion poll by the Belgrade-based Strategic Marketing agency gave Mr Kostunica 32.5% of the vote to Mr Milosevic's 26.6%. The Centre for Policy Studies gave Mr Kostunica 41% to Mr Milosevic's 20%. Mr Milosevic has support in rural areas and has manipulated the campaign through control of state television. State controls on the price of staple goods have also cushioned the realities of a weak economy. But years of war and corruption at the top have disillusioned many urban voters. Warning of vote rigging, Mr Kostunica told a rally at the weekend: "They are bullies, liars and thieves and have stolen years of our lives and dignity. Now they are preparing to steal the elections". Mr Milosevic could cheat by falsifying votes from Kosovo. The UN has allowed the poll to go ahead there but will not be running or supervising it. In the last Serbian presidential elections as many as 200,000 Albanians supposedly voted for Mr Milosevic's right-hand man. Because of the boycott in Montenegro, Mr Milosevic can also steal votes which are cast in army camps and town halls run by the pro-Belgrade party. The EU has offered to lift sanctions if the election "leads to democratic change". The wording was chosen with care as the Yugoslav constitution is so ambiguous it could allow Mr Milosevic to serve out his term until next July, even if the opposition wins. But most observers believe he is more likely simply to declare victory and hope to ride out - or shoot out - any protests. _______________________________________________ Crashlist resources: http://website.lineone.net/~resource_base To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/crashlist
