Milosevic: Yugoslavia under threat

Milosevic says ethnic Albanian rebels threaten Yugoslav unity

LONDON, England -- Ousted Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic says violence by ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia could spread.

Milosevic told an Israeli newspaper that rebels in Macedonia threatened the unity of what remained of the Yugoslav federation -- the republics of Serbia and Montenegro.

"I fear other separatists will also present their true terrorist face and demand autonomy in the multinational areas of Serbia, or even to separate from Serbia," Milosevic told Ha'aretz

"The goals of the terrorist Albanian separatists are spreading from the Kosovo region and covering other areas in southern Serbia."

Milosevic, ousted in a mass uprising last October, has been indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal for atrocities against ethnic Albanians in the Serbian province of Kosovo in 1999.

On Wednesday, Serbia's justice minister told war crimes prosecutors in The Hague that a new law would be passed allowing the extradition of Yugoslav citizens -- a move that could allow Milosevic to be tried in The Hague.

IN-DEPTH Macedonia: Hurdles to peace   •  Balkan hotspots   •  Interactive map   •  Macedonia's military   •  News search   •  Audio/video archive   •  In-Depth: Yugoslavia   •  In-Depth: Kosovo

However, Vladan Batic warned that Milosevic may face criminal charges at home first with Serb authorities investigating allegations of theft or diversion of funds from Yugoslavia.

Batic told the tribunal, ahead of a March 31 deadline for Yugoslavia's co-operation, that the new extradition law was expected to be passed within two months.

Carla Del Ponte, the tribunal's chief prosecutor she believed Yugoslavia was making "good progress" in the matter.

But in the newspaper interview Milosevic slammed the tribunal's work, denying all charges.

"The Hague's charges are lies. Everyone knows this," Milosevic said.

The Israeli newspaper printed excerpts of its interview -- only the third granted since his fall from power - and said it would be published in full on Thursday.

Macedonia ceasefire holding
March 21, 2001
Milosevic net tightens, U.N. told
March 20, 2001
Ambassador predicts Milosevic arrest
March 15, 2001
Why the rebels are fighting
March 16, 2001
Balkan violence escalates
March 14, 2001
Yugoslav army enter buffer zone
March 14, 2001
NATO presses for Kosovo peace
March 11, 2001

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Haaretz
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.