Milosevic allies meet Kostunica

A supporter embraces a poster of Slobodan Milosevic at a rally in Belgrade

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- President Vojislav Kostunica is meeting supporters of ex-leader Slobodan Milosevic, who oppose his planned extradition on war crime charges.

About 10,000 Milosevic backers took to the streets of the capital on Tuesday denouncing a decree paving the way for his transfer to the U.N. tribunal at The Hague.

Kostunica, meeting a delegation from the Socialist party of the jailed ex-president on Wednesday, had earlier singled out U.S. pressure for his country's change of heart on the extradition of Yugoslav nationals, including Milosevic.

Since assuming power Kostunica has said the constitution does not allow for extradition of Yugoslav nationals and that domestic courts should have priority over the U.N. tribunal.

AUDIO CNN's Alessio Vinci: Yugoslav government is under pressure 1.31 MB / 1 min 2 secs AIFF or WAV sound

"My attempt to have our citizens put on trial in our country was prevented by two things: pressure from Washington... and me and my party being in a minority coalition," he said.

Kostunica has made it clear he considers the U.N. tribunal as anti-Serb. After Wednesday's talks he and the Socialist party leaders are expected to issue a joint declaration.

VIDEO Yugoslavia polarised by Milosevic debate (June 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

At Tuesday's rally in central Republic Square, 10,000 demonstrators marched through the capital to the Yugoslav government building chanting "Freedom for Slobodan!" and "Treason, treason!"

Banners saying "Serbia won't give you away, Slobodan" and "Selling out the Serbs" highlighted accusations that Yugoslavia's new reformist rulers have decided to hand the former authoritarian president over in exchange for crucial economic aid.

The demonstration took place as the transfer of Milosevic seemed to loom closer, with a judge heading to prison to read him the extradition order.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic predicted extradition would happen soon. He said the Constitutional Court, which is hearing an appeal against the handover, could not overrule the U.N. tribunal .

In Washington on Tuesday the State Department praised Belgrade for the initial steps it was taking to hand over Milosevic, but said it still has not decided whether to support an international donors conference later this week.

The U.S. and top lending institutions have threatened to boycott that meeting, scheduled for Friday in Brussels, if the Yugoslav government does not move on war crimes suspects.

Kostunica said that it was unlikely Milosevic could be extradited before Friday's conference, but that Belgrade was committed to his transfer.

Belgrade views the conference, which is jointly sponsored by the European Commission and the World Bank, as crucial in helping rebuild the war-torn country. It hopes to raise $1.3 billion in reconstruction money as well as reschedule much of the country's nearly $12 billion in foreign debt.

European diplomats told CNN that the European Union has asked the U.S. to support the conference, in the wake of moves by Belgrade to extradite Milosevic.

"We have asked the U.S. to go," one diplomat said, who said it was important to "encourage" Belgrade's efforts.

"It was not an easy political decision at home for Kostunica," he said. "It is fairly obvious the Yugoslav government seems to be pushing on and we hope the U.S. will be on board."

Milosevic, toppled by a popular uprising last October, was arrested in April and has been detained in Belgrade pending an investigation into allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

The U.N. tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Milosevic last October over the crackdown carried out by security forces in Kosovo against ethnic Albanians.

A judge was at Belgrade's Central Prison on Wednesday to read him the extradition order in the presence of his defence team.

Milosevic then will have the opportunity to respond, said Veselin Cerovic, one of Milosevic's attorneys.

If extradited, Milosevic would be the first former head of state to face a war crimes trial in front of the tribunal established in 1992.