KOSTUNICA DECLINES PUTIN’S MEDIATION

It would be “irresponsible” for him to leave Belgrad, Serbian opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica has said in the interview to the ORT television channel apparently referring to the invitation to come to Moscow for talks with Yugoslav’s incumbent president Slobodan Milosevic. At the same time, Kostunica said he was grateful to Russia’s president Putin and Russia’s government for the idea. However, Kostunica expressed dissatisfaction with the statement of the Russian side that 1st round of presidential elections in Yugosalvia had passed off properly. In Kostunica’s view, such a huge country as Russia undoubtedly plays a great part in solving the Balkan problem, but, as the Serbian opposition leader emphasised, Russia should more clearly define its stance.