Slobodan Milosevic, Allies regroup
The new President of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica, is facing a serious threat to his authority, a week after the popular uprising that enabled him to assume his role as elected head of state. Allies of the former President Slobodan Milosevic in the government of Serbia have mobilised to prevent Mr Kostunica from consolidating his position.
The President said he was confident that the problems could be overcome. But members of the Socialist Party, which is still led by Mr Milosevic, have pulled out of talks on forming an interim government and organising new Serbian elections. A leader of the democracy movement, Vesna Pesnic, who runs the Civic Alliance, said that she could not see a clear way forward as long as Slobodan Milosevic remains involved in politics.
Meanwhile, the United States has lifted an oil embargo and a ban on commercial flights imposed on Yugoslavia during Slobodan Milosevic's campaign in Kosovo. The EU lifted similar measures last week.
