Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Monday that the extradition of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to a UN war crimes court in The Hague had "destabilised" Yugoslavia and its leadership.
"Yugoslavia is destabilised, its president is destabilised. We are on the verge of a collapse of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," he said, speaking at a joint press conference with French President Jacques Chirac.
Milosevic was suddenly extradited Thursday to the court, where he is facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the 1998-1999 crackdown on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
But Putin's criticism, in his first response to the former Yugoslav strongman's extradition by Serbia, the largest partner in the rump Yugoslav federation, was countered by Chirac.
"This is a victory of law over violence, of democracy over tyranny. It sounds hope for justice and freedom in the world," the French president said -- MOSCOW (AFP)
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