Kostunica plea over Montenegro

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has pleaded with Montenegro to remain in the Yugoslav federation as its independence-minded leader remains defiant.

Speaking in Belgrade, Kostunica said: "Everything that connects Serbia and Montenegro historically, spiritually and culturally, is stronger and deeper than what divides."

In his interview with the Serbian daily Politika, Kostunica said that if "we stay together, all doors in Europe will be open to us," with better chances for development.

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However, in a year-end message published in the main Montenegrin paper Pobjeda on Saturday, the republic's president Milo Djukanovic pressed the case for a break.

"We want to run our own state, but Kostunica also wants to run our state."

He said that politicians in Serbia were trying to "patronise" his republic and directly accused Kostunica of having "the ambition to run Montenegro from Belgrade."

Djukanovic's independence call has already caused a government crisis in Montenegro where both politicians and citizens are divided on the question.

It could even lead to early elections in the republic after a key party quit the ruling coalition this week in protest against Djukanovic's policies.

Pro-Serb politicians from Montenegro are included in the Yugoslav administration, and the federal prime minister is also a Montenegrin.

Present-day Yugoslavia is formed by dominant Serbia and much smaller Montenegro, all that is left after the old six-republic federation broke up amid the Balkan wars.

Relations between the two republics progressively deteriorated during ousted President Slobodan Milosevic's 11-year rule.

And despite Milosevic stepping down in October the current Montenegrin leadership wants only very loose ties with Serbia.

But the Yugoslav president rejects the notion: "It is a paradox that the international community recognises and welcomes, while one of its (constituent) parts ... does not."

Kostunica has made it clear that the future relationship between the two republics is his top priority, saying: "Before we resolve this issue, we cannot even think of starting to solve other issues."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbian Ministry of Information
President of Montenegro

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