Kostunica made the remark while meeting a group of Milosevic supporters who came to protest the arrest in Belgrade, the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug reported.

There is no difference between the arrest of Milosevic and the arrest of any other criminal suspect, Kostunica added.

Yugoslav policemen stormed Milosevic's villa in the suburbs of Belgrade early Saturday, but met resistance from Milosevic's personal body guards and his supporters.

Two people, a police officer and a photographer, were slightly injured in the exchange of gunfire, which lasted 15 minutes.

Police have imposed a cordon around the villa, and Milosevic's supporters and other people were driven away from the house.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic told reporters on Saturday that Milosevic is charged with the abuse of power and many other criminal charges.

No criminal suspect can escape punishment, he noted. However, Milosevic said he would not be taken to prison "alive."

At the moment, the police and Milosevic's bodyguards are at a standoff while they are deciding what to do next.

The Yugoslav government's latest action against Milosevic was widely seen as a result of pressure from Washington which set March 31 as the deadline for the arrest of Milosevic.

Milosevic's followers gathered outside the house Friday night after a group of armed police officers in helmets arrived at the entrance of the house with eight jeeps and three ambulances.

Earlier Friday, US President George W. Bush called for the arrest of Milosevic, a precondition for continued US financial aid. Washington has also threatened to re-impose sanctions against the Balkan country.

Milosevic, along with some of his close aides, is wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague for alleged war crimes committed in Bosnia and Kosovo in the past few years. All accusations were denied by Milosevic.

Prosecutors of the ICTY have repeatedly demanded the arrest and extradition of Milosevic and other indictees.

Despite the West's mounting pressure, Kostunica has refused to hand over Milosevic, whose country has no legislation on the extradition of suspected war criminals. But he agreed to start limited cooperation with the ICTY.

(Chinadaily.com.cn 04/01/2001)