[ALBSA-Info] Yugoslavia's Kostunica rules out Moscow talks

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Yugoslavia's Kostunica rules out Moscow talks

MOSCOW, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Yugoslav opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica ruled 
out on Wednesday a Kremlin proposal to attend talks in Moscow to resolve 
Belgrade's election impasse, saying it would be ``irresponsible'' to leave 
the country. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, currently visiting India, offered on 
Tuesday to host both Kostunica and incumbent president Slobodan Milosevic in 
a bid to prevent a slide into bloodshed in Yugoslavia. 

``We are now in a situation in which I would consider it irresponsible to 
leave the country because of the tension in the country, the strikes and 
protests,'' he told Russia's ORT public television in a live interview 
through a translator. 

``The offer I received -- with all due thanks to President Putin and the 
Russian government for their help in this situation -- the invitation is not 
fully clear.'' 

Kostunica says he won the election's first round outright on September 24 and 
has declared this Sunday's runoff illegal. Milosevic, backed by election 
officials, says a decisive second round is needed as neither hopeful got the 
required 50 percent. 

In his interview, Kostunica criticised Russia for accepting the first round 
electoral process as lawful. 

Russia has said only Yugoslav courts can rule whether the official first 
round results -- putting Kostunica just short of the 50 percent mark -- are 
valid. 

``A great country like Russia cannot but have tremendous influence in the 
Balkans. But its position has to be made more clear,'' he said. 

``The steps being taken now depend on official Russian policy. I have to say 
that although these steps are important they are not sufficiently clear and 
set down.'' 

Kostunica, declared the winner by many Western countries, said the opposition 
would continue to use non-violent protests against Milosevic and renewed 
calls for the president to accept defeat and leave office. 

``The sole correct act that Milosevic could undertake but has not done for 
years is, under pressure from the democratic opposition, to bow to the will 
of the people,'' he said. 

``I would like to believe that he will find the strength to say simply 'I 
lost the elections'. You can't always win. There are losers too...If 
Milosevic did this, it would be a great act for Serbia, his party and for 
himself.''