World News 25-09-2000 Violence Feared In Yugoslav Election who: Slobodan Milosevic what: Claims victory in presidential election where: Belgrade when: Yesterday snippet: "Yugoslavia teetered on the verge of civil war," says Gillian Sandford, reporting on yesterday`s presidential elections for The Express, "as cities nationwide braced themselves for bloodshed." "The biggest Nato armada since the Kosovo war, including 15 ships from Britain, gathered in the Mediterranean," reports The Independent. "Nato`s show of strength, which involves the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible and the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, is intended to send a message to President Slobodan Milosevic not to use force to maintain his hold on power if, as the opposition predicted, he is defeated". Although opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica was reported to be ahead of Mr Milosevic in 63 out of 70 key polling stations, the incumbent leader has claimed 50.28 percent of the votes compared to Kostunica`s 30.76 percent. "An uneasy fear has been seeping across the country for days," reports Maggie O`Kane in The Guardian. "Even opposition supporters confident of victory at the ballot box are terrified that Mr Milosevic will not step down without bloodshed". [... more]

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