----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 5:48 AM Subject: [STOPNATO] Havel, Mesic, Kucan, and Djuk.: "NATO its TIME to strike!" STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.COM Want to send this story to another AOL member? Click on the heart at the top of this window. Montenegro nearer independence than ever-Djukanovic By Davor Huic DUBROVNIK, Croatia, July 11 (Reuters) - Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said on Tuesday his republic was closer than ever to calling a referendum on independence and urged the West to help avoid a military conflict with Serbia. ``Unfortunately, Belgrade's irresponsible behaviour brings us closer to that option (of calling a referendum) every day,'' Djukanovic told reporters after meeting his counterparts from Croatia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. ``Today we are closer to becoming an independent state than we were yesterday,'' he added. Western leaders have cautioned Montenegro against calling an independence referendum, fearful that it could lead to a new conflict in the Balkans. But the Western-leaning reformist Montenegrin president said the international community's ``policies and honour'' were at stake over Montenegro and called for Western help. Czech President Vaclav Havel urged NATO to stage a show of force to prevent Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic from using his troops to crack down on Montenegro. ``Apart from political options, there are alternatives, which consist of a demonstration of force,'' he said, adding that he was speaking as a leader of a NATO member country. ``The international community looked on events (in former Yugoslavia) with surprise and abhorrence and reacted too late. It should not be repeated a fifth time,'' he said in reference to bloody conflicts in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo which followed Yugoslavia's disintegration. PATIENCE RUNNING OUT The four presidents, who also included Croatia's Stipe Mesic and Slovenia's Milan Kucan, backed the Montenegrin parliament's recent decision to boycott federal elections. Montenegro rejected fresh changes to the Yugoslav constitution under which the federal president -- currently Milosevic -- and the upper chamber of parliament would be directly elected, thereby bypassing Montenegrin parliament. The changes would enable Milosevic, indicted for war crimes by a U.N. tribunal, to extend his rule for another mandate. Djukanovic told reporters the constitutional changes effectively destroyed the Yugoslav federation and Montenegro might now have to fend for itself. ``We have been patient out of respect for the world's wish not to stir things up and because we wanted to democratise the country. But there are limits to our patience as well,'' he said. ``Montenegro is not going to sacrifice its future so that the dictator in Belgrade can rule forever.'' Djukanovic, who has threatened a referendum for almost a year but held back from naming a date, said Montenegro would be ``very careful'' in choosing the right moment and would exercise maximum restraint. ``We shall do everything we can to avoid a new conflict, but it is not only up to Montenegro...If there is a conflict we shall be able to defend ourselves.'' The four presidents signed a joint statement saying the latest events in Yugoslavia were seriously threatening democracy and putting Montenegro at a disadvantage within the federation. The statement also defended Montenegro's right to self-determination. 09:16 07-11-00 Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
