Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica vowed Saturday evening to get former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic into police custody and end a tense police standoff around his villa. But Milosevic said he would not be taken to prison "alive."
The Associated Press reported that Kostunica made the solemn vow after he met with top Yugoslav political and military leaders, about 16 hours after first police attempt to arrest Milosevic encountered gunfire from his personal guards. An armed standoff has continued since then.
Kostunica said, "No one can remain untouchable... Every individual must bear responsibility according to the law."
Interior Minister Zoran Zivkovic was quoted as saying Saturday that the police had a task to arrest Milosevic "today."
The arrest attempts by the Yugoslav authorities came after the United States on Friday set March 31 the deadline for Milosevic's arrest so that he could be brought to the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague for his war crimes.
Washington also threatened to suspend financial aid to the Balkan country if Kostunica's government failed to comply with the deadline.
(Xinhua 04/01/2001)
