Slobodan Milosevic rejected a personal appeal from President Vojislav Kostunica early Sunday and would not surrender to police poised to storm his house, an ally of the ex-leader said from inside the mansion early Sunday.
Kostunica had gone to the villa accompanied by Serbian President Milan Milutinovic -- a close Milosevic ally -- to try to avert a bloody end to the standoff between armed bodyguards and police, but had left empty-handed, the ally told a Belgrade radio station.
"Mr Milosevic does not want to give himself up, a final attempt to solve the problem by negotiations has failed", said the man, who asked not to be named. He was talking to the radio by phone at 3:30 am (0130 GMT), Politika radio said.
"The situation is very tense ... there are people inside who are ready to stay with the former president to the very end and I fear that bloodshed is unfortunately going to happen," said the man, thought to be a member of Milosevic's Socialist Party entourage.
Milosevic earlier told police he would not be taken alive if police tried to storm the building for a second time in 24 hours, officials said.
Police said up to 50 heavily-armed men were holed up in the building with him.
(Chinadaily.com.cn 04/01/2001)
