Western leaders welcome Kostunica

Madeleine Albright, speaking on CNN

LONDON, England -- U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Friday welcomed Russia's recognition of Vojislav Kostunica as president-elect in Yugoslavia and said that discussions would start immediately on lifting international sanctions.

She said the decision by Russia to recognize Kostunica, who western powers had backed following a disputed election on September 24, was "great news" and the U.S. was watching developments in the apparent overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic closely.

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"We are very glad Russia has joined the rest of Europe and us," she said, adding talks about lifting sanctions would start on Friday.

Albright said the sanctions currently in place had been aimed at the Milosevic regime: "We have never had a fight with the Serbian people."

In an unexpected move on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov joined other major western nations in congratulating Kostunica on his victory.

Ivanov spoke after a meeting with Kostunica in Belgrade, and he said he had taken a message of support from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Britain on Friday gave its full backing to Kostunica again calling on President Slobodan Milosevic to throw in the towel.

During a visit to Poland, Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "Milosevic has done enough damage for one man in one country: Three wars, tens of thousands dead, millions displaced, acts of barbarism not seen in Europe since the Second World War.

"The sooner he is gone the better for Serbia, for Europe and for the whole world. So let us hope that that is done quickly."

Blair said the next step would be to "hold out the hand of partnership and friendship to a democratic Serbia and welcome her into the family of European nations."

Earlier on Friday, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said European sanctions against Serbia would be lifted on Monday if Kostunica were installed as leader at the weekend, he added.

European Union foreign ministers were expected to lift on Monday an oil embargo and flight ban, while financial sanctions and a visa ban will take more time to remove.

A European Commission spokesman said the opposition leader would be invited to visit Brussels and that European Commission President Romano Prodi and External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten would visit Belgrade. No dates were set.

NATO Secretary General George Robertson is refusing to make any public comment about developments in Belgrade but in a brief statement a NATO spokesman said: "We welcome democratic change and the election of a new president in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It offers the opportunity to contribute to much improved regional stability".

A senior official said there would be no question of pulling back or withdrawing NATO-led troops in Kosovo in the immediate future.

China, one of Milosevic's staunchest supporters said on Friday it was "seriously concerned" about the situation in Yugoslavia but insisted it would not get involved.

A statement by foreign ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi, the first official word since Milosevic's apparent overthrow made no mention of Milosevic or Kostunica saying simply that Beijing "respected the choice of the Yugoslav people." Sun, quoted by the official Xinhua news agency, called for a peaceful outcome to the crisis: "China believes that the Yugoslav people are fully capable of solving their current problems free form external interference."

China fiercely opposed NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia during last year's Kosovo campaign and relations with Washington were severely strained when Beijing's embassy was destroyed during the bombing.

Yugoslavia's Balkan neighbours hailed Milosevic's downfall as one of the most important events in the region since the overthrow of Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 -- but expressed lingering fears that he may yet hit back.

Romanian President Emil Constantinescu said: "Just as the Ceausescu regime fell, any regime that defies its own people will also fall."

Istvan Szent-Ivanyi, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Hungarian parliament called it a "most welcome event."

"The last dictator is losing power," he added.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov said it was too early to declare victory for democracy in Serbia, and warned that Milosevic might launch a counter-attack.

In Bosnia, Adamir Jerkovic, an adviser to Alija Izetbegovic, the Muslim member of Bosnia's three-man inter-ethnic presidency, welcomed the changes in Yugoslavia as "the first step towards democracy."

But he also expressed uncertainty about Kostunica. "We consider Kostunica to be a Serb nationalist as well, " Jerkovic said. "But any change that happens in a dictatorship is a welcome one and in any case changes in Yugoslavia will reflect positively on the situation in Bosnia."

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

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The European Commission
China: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Russia: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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