[ALBSA-Info] Solana in Belgrade

[Iris Pilika]

Protests greet Solana in Belgrade

Demonstrators carry a blazing effigy of Javier Solana
February 8, 2001
Web posted at: 1325 GMT


BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Protesters have jeered EU foreign policy chief 
Javier Solana as he arrived in Belgrade for his first visit since NATO 
bombed Yugoslavia.

Up to 200 Serb demonstrators gathered outside the Federal Palace where 
Solana, the former head of NATO who oversaw the 1999 bombing campaign, and 
other European figures are holding talks with Belgrade's new administration.

Talks are expected to centre on fighting in the Presevo Valley near Kosovo 
and the future of the Yugoslav federation.

Nationalists shouted "child-killer" and called for Solana's arrest for 
NATO's air campaign in which U.S.-based Human Rights Watch group estimates 
500 civilians died.

Around 1,000 people had gathered outside government buildings and later the 
U.S. embassy on Wednesday night, also accusing Solana of being a "killer" 
and burning his effigy.

Zivorad Igic, a leader of the Socialist party led by former Yugoslav 
President Slobodan Milosevic, said Solana should not be allowed to forget 
his role in the air war, when he was secretary-general of NATO.

The Western alliance launched the bombing campaign to end alleged Serb 
repression of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority.

Milosevic's regime sentenced Solana, and 13 other Western leaders, in 
absentia last September to 20 years in prison each for the air strikes.

But Serbia's new rulers have described the trial as a farce and have given 
no indication they plan to act upon the verdict.

Solana is part of a high-level EU group, which includes Swedish Foreign 
Minister Anna Lindh and European external affairs commissioner Chris Patten.

They are visiting Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and Serbian Prime 
Minister Zoran Djindjic.

Milosevic on agenda
Other topics on the agenda are expected to include the fate of Milosevic -- 
indicted by a United Nations war crimes tribunal.

Belgrade is under pressure to extradite Milosevic, and some of his senior 
officials, for trial in The Hague. The U.S. has given leaders a deadline of 
March 31 to co-operate with the tribunal or risk losing vital financial aid.

But the new regime -- swept to power on a tide of popular support last 
October -- is concerned that handing over Milosevic would not go down well 
at home.

Feelings against the West have remained high since the NATO bombing that 
forced Milosevic to pull his troops out of Kosovo.

Reuters contributed to this report.


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