World News 21-09-2000 Milosevic`s Show Of Strength As Polls Near who: Slobodan Milosevic what: Says Western leaders are "rats and hyenas" where: Montenegro when: Yesterday snippet: Slobodan Milosevic flew to Montenegro yesterday to rally support before the presidential elections on Sunday, reports The Independent. And in front of a crowd of thousands of workers and party members, the Yugoslav leader branded his Western counterparts as "rats and hyenas". "The visit was accompanied by a show of force," writes Paul Woods, "with Yugoslav military police and even special anti-terrorist units from Serbia lining the roads. Armoured vehicles and antiaircraft cannon were in the surrounding fields." "His helicopter brought him to the rally near the town of Berane, within 15 miles of Kosovo," points out Jonathan Steele in The Guardian, "where Nato-led troops could have arrested him on war crimes charges brought by the Hague tribunal last year." Meanwhile, Mr Milosevic`s main opposition candidate, Vojislav Kostunica, was in Serbia speaking to a crowd of 20,000. Most of the pre-election opinion polls suggest he "has a substantial lead against Milosevic," says ITN`s report, despite the dictator`s "firm grip over police, army and media". But The Times warns that this could be "the last time that the rival supporters gather so peacefully". The public have a choice of continuing a decade of conflict or making peace with their neighbours. But "as most people will tell you here, getting rid of the incumbent is not just a case of voting him out". [... more]

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