Talks to ease Yugoslavia crisis

Zizic has resigned as Yugoslav prime minister

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Politicians from Montenegro have pledged to join talks to resolve an internal political crisis sparked by Slobodan Milosevic's extradition to the U.N. war crimes tribunal.

Predrag Popovic, a Cabinet minister from the Montenegrin People's Party, said: "We want to try to give our best contribution to try to preserve stability in Yugoslavia."

The crisis that triggered the government's collapse developed after Yugoslavia Prime Minister Zoran Zizic resigned on Friday in protest against what he called the "hasty and tactless decision" to hand the former president over to the tribunal.

QUICKVOTE Will Slobodan Milosevic receive a fair trial at the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal? Yes No - he should have been tried at home View Results VIDEO CNN's Alessio Vinci reports on the Milosevic extradition (June 28) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   AUDIO Yugoslav government in turmoil 245 KB / 23 secs AIFF or WAV sound CNN's Christiane Amanpour: Milosevic will appear in court on Tuesday 813 KB / 70 secs AIFF or WAV sound Russian concern over extradition 1.76 MB / 170 secs AIFF or WAV sound   RESOURCES The ICTY indictment against Slobodan Milosevic  (United Nations) War crimes tribunal: Key facts

Other Cabinet members from Montenegro -- all of whom were once staunch Milosevic allies - also walked out.

The moves drove a deeper wedge between Montenegro -- Yugoslavia's smaller republic -- and Serbia. Each republic has its own government, and shares power in the federal government.

Leaders from Zizic's Montenegrin camp promised on Saturday to take part in talks expected to start on Monday on forming a new government.

The decision to extradite Milosevic was made unilaterally by the government of Serbia, in defiance of a Constitutional Court ruling that suspended a federal decree allowing his extradition.

Montenegrin officials denounced the decision as "illegal and unconstitutional."

While the handover was criticised at home, it won praise from world leaders. The international community fulfilled its promise to reward Belgrade for Milosevic's extradition.

Donors voted overwhelmingly at a conference in Brussels on Friday on a financial assistance package for Yugoslavia, pledging $1.28 billion to boost the country's sagging economy and crippled infrastructure.

The funds will also help pay the salaries of teachers and medical workers -- many of whom live below the poverty level.

Some donor nations had made Milosevic's extradition a condition of any financial assistance.

The donations exceeded Yugoslavia's appeal by $30 million.

But in the Serb capital, Belgrade, thousands of Milosevic supporters protested on Friday in front of the federal parliament against his transfer to U.N. officials. Some shouted "Treason!" and "Let's Rise Up!"

"This is outrage. This is banditry. This is a blatant violation of all laws," said Miodrag Sekulic, 56, a retired teacher from Belgrade.

Milosevic supporters protested in Belgrade against his extradition

The turnout was relatively low for the planned demonstration, showing popular support for Milosevic has waned. Many Serbs expressed relief at the prospect of putting his ruinous 13-year rule behind them, the Associated Press reported.

Army leaders have denied they took part in the transfer of Milosevic to The Hague. According to widely circulated reports, a Yugoslav army helicopter transported Milosevic to a U.S. Army base in neighboring Bosnia. He was flown to the Netherlands from the base, according to AP.

An army statement carried by local media on Saturday said: "The Yugoslav army did not participate in extraditing Milosevic to The Hague tribunal nor is it familiar with the details of how the Serbian police carried it out."

Calling the handover a "turning point," the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, announced on Friday indictment against Milosevic would be expanded.

Del Ponte said the new indictment accused Milosevic of command responsibility in the deaths of more than 600 Kosovo Albanians, twice the number of names cited when he was first charged in May 1999.

An estimated 10,000 Kosovo Albanians were killed during Milosevic's 18-month crackdown against the rebellious Serbian province, which ended after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 and the withdrawal of all Yugoslav forces, AP reported.

His lawyer, Branimir Gugl, said Milosevic called his family from the tribunal's prison on Friday to proclaim his innocence on charges of crimes against humanity in Kosovo and to say he was "fine and healthy."

Gugl said: "He said he was kidnapped. He is denying any guilt. He has a clear conscience and says he had worked in the interest of the Serbian people."