Russia comes off fence and salutes new regime

As demonstrators toppled symbols of President Slobodan Milosevic's regime in a tidal wave of protests in Belgrade, many of the world's leaders hailed a new era for the Balkans, and offered help to a new government.

As demonstrators toppled symbols of President Slobodan Milosevic's regime in a tidal wave of protests in Belgrade, many of the world's leaders hailed a new era for the Balkans, and offered help to a new government.

Russia, which had hesitated, saluted Vojislav Kostunica as Yugoslavia's new president on Friday.

"I congratulated Mr. Kostunica on his victory in the presidential elections," on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said in Belgrade.

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said the European Union is ready to move rapidly end sanctions against Yugoslavia, if Kostunica is confirmed as president.

"I am immediately taking the necessary steps so that the 15 Foreign Ministers can take this decision when they meet on Monday," said Vedrine, who will chair a meeting of EU foreign ministers Monday in Luxembourg, when a decision could be made.

Although many in Yugoslavia voiced concern that it seemed premature to be hailing a post-Milosevic Yugoslavia, world leaders were busy consigning him to history.

More than a decade after similar revolts cast off regimes across eastern Europe, people stormed the parliament and state-run TV buildings on Thursday. Milosevic had not reacted to the protest and his whereabouts were unknown.

"The turn of an era that began with Solidarity's resistance in Poland and continued with the fall of the Berlin Wall has now finally also begun in Serbia. We have reason to hope that this revolution can also remain peaceful," said German President Johannes Rau.

China's Foreign Ministry issued a brief statement, saying nothing about the demonstrations or Milosevic, whom it loudly supported in Belgrade's war with NATO, and calling for "the restoration of stability."

"China calls on all ethnic groups and political forces in Yugoslavia to give priority to the fundamental interests of the state and people," Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said. He urged peaceful means and prevention of armed conflict.

The State Duma, the lower chamber of Russia's parliament, rejected by 209 to 34 on Friday a motion to send a congratulatory telegram to Kostunica, the Interfax news agency reported.

Hard-line Russian politicians accused the Yugoslav opposition of accepting Western money and relying on unruly crowds for support. "This is not a democracy, it smells of marijuana, vodka and dollars," said Communist party chief Gennady Zyuganov.

Romania, which borders Yugoslavia, stepped up air surveillance Friday in reaction to the unrest in Belgrade. The Defense Ministry said it "has adopted all necessary measures that are required by the situation created by the evolution in Yugoslavia."

Around Europe, the Yugoslavian uprising was warmly welcomed and there were offers of help.

Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Germany supported Kostunica as the elected president of Yugoslavia and called for swift assistance to a new government. "Not inconsiderable sums" are already foreseen in existing EU programs and the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, he said.

Poland's president, Alexander Kwasniewski, said he hoped Friday would be the dawn of democracy in Yugoslavia, where Serbia is the dominant republic.

"We are ready to share our experience. We know how to create democratic institutions from scratch," Kwasniewski said.

"We want to make sure that, as Serbia is heading for democracy, we are there giving them a helping hand. Whatever our quarrel with the oppressive and odious regime of Milosevic was, it was never a quarrel with the Serbian people," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Friday in Warsaw.

U.S. President Bill Clinton said "the hour is near" when the world community will be able to fully welcome Yugoslavia back into its ranks.

"The people of Serbia have made their opinion clear," Clinton said. "They did it when they voted peacefully and quietly and now they're doing it in the streets because there's been an attempt to rob them of their vote."

Serbia is the dominant republic in Yugoslavia and for over a decade served as Milosevic's powerbase.

Carl Bildt, the U.N. Balkans envoy, said he felt "deep relief and profound happiness that the collapse of the Milosevic regime happened as peacefully as was the case."

Bildt called on Kostunica to open talks with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic on a new relationship between Serbia and Montenegro, its junior partner in the Yugoslav federation.

"This is the key to the emergence of a truly democratic new Yugoslavia," Bildt said.