Protests greet Solana in Belgrade

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.

AUDIO Javier Solana: Conviction that Yugoslavia will co-operate 256kb/23sec. AIFF or WAV sound

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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Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
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