Stefan Bos reports from Budapest that Western diplomats say they fear this development could harm their efforts to undermine the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. In a statement that has worried some European Union diplomats, Yugoslavia's Foreign Ministry announced that its relations with Russia and Communist China are thriving. The Yugoslav envoy to Moscow, Borislav Milosevic, who is the brother of President Slobodan Milosevic, told reporters that his country's diplomatic ties with the Russian Government were, in his words - strengthening. The Yugoslav envoy stressed that earlier this month Russia had issued an invitation to Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic and Defense Minister Dragoljub Ojdanic, who was indicted for war crimes. The Belgrade government says it is also seeking to improve relations with China, which is still upset about NATO's accidental bombing of its embassy in the Yugoslav capital during the bombing campaign last year.
Analysts say Belgrade sees China as a key ally against Western governments.
Belgrade accuses the West of using the opposition in the main Yugoslav Republic of Serbia to try to oust President Milosevic. Western diplomats say this potential new alliance with Russia and China may undermine international efforts to further isolate the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who was indicted by the U-N War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. The European Union is reported to be uneasy over Russia's relationship with Yugoslavia, prior to the June summit meeting between U-S President Bill Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The E-U had hoped that Mr. Putin would distance himself from the government in Belgrade. Opponents of Yugoslav President Milosevic say the foreign policy initiative is merely a last effort by the government to survive international and domestic isolation.