Kostunica Visits Montenegro, Talks of Peace

New Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica visited Montenegro on Tuesday and agreed with leaders of the small republic that problems in its partnership with Serbia would be resolved peacefully.

On his first visit to Montenegro since taking office less than two weeks ago, Kostunica discussed both the coastal republic’s status within the Yugoslav federation and its key role in the formation of a new federal government.

Serbia and Montenegro followed increasingly different political paths while the authoritarian Slobodan Milosevic was Yugoslav president and pulled the strings in Serbia, the federation’s dominant republic and seat of its capital, Belgrade.

Until a mass uprising forced Milosevic to admit defeat in presidential elections, international officials often voiced fears that he could provoke a military conflict in Montenegro, which is led by pro-Western President Milo Djukanovic.

The Montenegrin president’s office in Podgorica, the capital, said Tuesday that Kostunica and Djukanovic, who was hurt in a car crash Oct. 9, had agreed that problems between Montenegro and Serbia would be solved through talks.

“The parties reached mutual consent on having all disputes that burdened our relations resolved through dialogue,” a statement said, suggesting that working groups be set up to examine contentious issues.

Kostunica said he was encouraged by the fact that he and Montenegrin leaders were talking.

“Sometimes one has to be satisfied with the mere fact that negotiations took place and that they will be continued,” he said. “I think that’s the nature of these talks.”

Kostunica, a 56-year-old Serbian constitutional lawyer, said they had also discussed the formation of a new federal government, a process in which Montenegrins have a key role.

Under the Yugoslav Constitution, the government must be headed by a Montenegrin if the president is a Serb.