[ALBSA-Info] World Leaders Urge Milosevic To Go

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

World Leaders Urge Milosevic To Go

By JILL LAWLESS

LONDON (AP) - As protesters swept through the streets of Belgrade on 
Thursday, many world leaders urged Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to 
step down - but none threatened to intervene with force. 

``Go,'' said British Prime Minister Tony Blair. ``Go now. Go before any more 
lives are lost, before there is any more destruction.'' 

President Clinton said the people of Serbia had spoken out, first in last 
month's elections and then on the streets. 

``The people of Serbia have made their opinion clear,'' Clinton said. ``They 
did it when they voted peacefully and quietly and now they're doing it in the 
streets because there's been an attempt to rob them of their vote.'' 

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the people of Serbia ``have made a 
clear choice. They are asking for democratic rule. ... And I hope that this 
choice and their voice will be heard.'' 

In France, President Jacques Chirac appealed to Milosevic supporters to 
recognize the opposition's electoral victory and stand aside. 

``For pity's sake, let's stop and give the Serb people back their freedom,'' 
he said. 

Russia has offered to mediate between Milosevic and rival presidential 
candidate Vojislav Kostunica - so far to no effect. President Vladimir Putin, 
speaking in New Delhi, said: ``We will not overplay our influence and our 
importance but we are not going to underestimate it either.'' 

Al Gore and George W. Bush also urged Milosevic to go. 

``We call upon Milosevic to get out of power,'' said Gore, the Democratic 
presidential nominee. ``It will be taken from him if he does not, because the 
people of Serbia have spoken, and now they're rising up.'' 

Republican rival Bush said it was ``clear the people have spoken. It is time 
for Mr. Milosevic to go.'' 

Western leaders, while offering moral support, signaled they were unwilling 
to send military aid to the protesters in Belgrade. 

``We have no intentions of intervention,'' British Foreign Secretary Robin 
Cook said. 

Said Annan: ``I think there have been quite a lot of statements by U.N. 
member states who have tried to move the situation forward. Beyond that, I'm 
not sure if there is any concrete action one can take in this situation.'' 

Clinton ruled out U.S. military intervention. 

``I don't believe that it's an appropriate case for military intervention and 
I don't believe that the United States should say or do anything which would 
only strengthen Mr. Milosevic's hand,'' he said. 

In Belgrade, Italy's top diplomat in Yugoslavia met with Kostunica and 
welcomed the country back into Europe. 

``The European Union has its hands wide open toward Yugoslavia,'' said 
Giovanni Ciraciollo, Italy's charge d'affaires in Yugoslavia and the first 
foreign diplomat to meet Kostunica. ``I am here to present my best wishes, 
and those of the government of Italy which is so glad to welcome back Serbia 
and Yugoslavia to the European family where they belong.'' 

Several other European leaders appealed to the Yugoslav security forces not 
to use violence against the protesters. 

``My appeal is: Don't resort to violence. Don't shoot on your own people,'' 
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said. 

``I ask the special troops to not shoot at the people, to not repeat the 
tragedy of the Romanian revolution,'' said Romanian Foreign Minister Petre 
Roman, a key figure in the 1989 revolt that toppled Romanian dictator Nicolae 
Ceausescu. ``They (the special troops) will have nightmares for the rest of 
their lives.'' 

Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, speaking on Mega television, said 
his country would like to see Yugoslavia ``follow a democratic course, 
overcome its problems and join the family of European nations.''