[ALBSA-Info] Kostunica sees Western sanctions lifted next week

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Kostunica sees Western sanctions lifted next week

BELGRADE, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Serb leader Vojislav Kostunica, hailed by the 
opposition as Yugoslavia's new president, said late on Thursday he had been 
promised that international sanctions on the Balkan country would be lifted 
by next week. 

Kostunica was speaking after a day that saw opposition supporters storm the 
federal parliament in Belgrade, as well as the headquarters of Serb state 
television, long seen as a mouthpiece of Slobodan Milosevic. 

He said France, the current European Union president, had promised sanctions 
against Yugoslavia, which include an investment ban and an oil embargo, would 
be a thing of the past as of Monday. 

``At this moment we have a promise from the highest place in the European 
Union that these days, at the latest by Monday, sanctions will be lifted 
because Serbia has shown its real democratic face,'' he said. 

Kostunica, seen as a moderate nationalist, also reiterated his criticism of 
the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, which last year indicted Milosevic 
and four other top Yugoslav officials for alleged war crimes in Kosovo. 

He made clear he would not cooperate with the tribunal in handing over 
Milosevic, saying the Yugoslav constitution did not allow extraditions and 
denouncing it as an ``American court.'' 

``The question is often posed what with indictments when Yugoslav citizens 
are concerned, and especially in reference to ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan 
Milosevic,'' Kostunica said. 

``My answer on this matter has always been resolute, for all the reasons I 
have given...I always answer that there can be no cooperation on this issue 
with The Hague tribunal. 

``And also I am so occupied with how this country will be reorganised that 
the tribunal is the last thing on my mind right now.'' 

Kostunica also made clear there would be no revenge against Milosevic's 
supporters. 

``Tomorrow we have to start getting used to living next to each other with 
all political differences which are deep.... 

``I guarantee that we will live in a normal state where there will be no 
revenge and there will be a normal dialogue between people of different 
opinions,'' Kostunica said.