SERBIA: OPPOSITION PLAN TO TOPPLE PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC скачать в хорошем качестве

SERBIA: OPPOSITION PLAN TO TOPPLE PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

(10 Jan 2000) Serbo-Croat/Nat Representatives of Serbia's traditionally fractured opposition assembled Monday in renewed efforts to hammer out a joint strategy in a pro-democracy struggle to topple President Slobodan Milosevic. The meeting was called by Vuk Draskovic, leader of Serbia's largest single opposition party, the Serbian Renewal Movement. It was the latest of several opposition attempts to create a common anti-Milosevic platform. By midday Monday, Serbian opposition leaders were arriving at Draskovic's party headquarters in Belgrade. All 16 political parties invited showed up, including Serbia's leading opposition coalition, Alliance for Change. Serbia's opposition has failed to unify many times in the past. But the assembled leaders are confident their latest attempt will put an end to the Milosevic regime. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) \"I believe that the unity will win and that democracy will come to Serbia after all, and that today's meeting will help that.\" SUPERCAPTION: Bishop Artemije, Kosovo Serb spiritual leader SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) \"The most important thing is that the opposition thinks the same about the key issue - toppling of this regime and replacing it with the democratic government - that's the only hope to keep Kosovo integrated into Serbia.\" SUPERCAPTION: Momcilo Trajkovic, Kosovo Serb leader Milosevic's government lost control over Kosovo in June, after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign forced the Serb leader to end his crackdown against ethnic Albanians and pull his troops out to make way for international peacekeepers. The loss of Kosovo, along with the deepening political and economic crisis intensified by international sanctions, has heightened demands for Milosevic to step down. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) \"We expect the best. We expect that the opposition will today begin it's march to final victory.\" SUPERCAPTION: Vladan Batic, Alliance for Change representative Independent media reports suggest one of the first tasks of the newly united opposition would be an appeal to the West for the suspension of sanctions against Yugoslavia once Milosevic's government agrees to hold elections. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) \"This is the continuation of the talks that have started several months ago. One meeting cannot bring the change itself, but it is important as one step forward towards our mutual goal - unified opposition requesting democratic election conditions.\" SUPERCAPTION: Vojislav Kostunica, Democratic Party of Serbia leader The Serbian opposition's latest breakup came in 1997 when personal rivalries dissolved an opposition group and enabled Milosevic to recover after more than three months of street protests shook his grip on power. Just a few months ago, after NATO took control over the Kosovo, political opponents launched another attempt to oust Milosevic. But a series of nationwide street protests failed after Draskovic's group refused to join in, leaving the opposition severely weakened. Milosevic's government turned up the heat against dissenters ahead of the meeting, unleashing a torrent of accusations in the state-run media against Draskovic. On Saturday, the country's information minister accused Draskovic of conspiring with the French secret service to oust Milosevic for his own financial gain. Draskovic dismissed such allegations. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...