WTNH News Channel 8 / News / Crisis in Kosovo

	MILOSEVIC PROFILE (AP) _ Slobodan Milosevic is no stranger to confrontation, or going to the brink to maintain his grip on total power. The 57-year-old president of Yugoslavia was born in Pozarevac, an industrial city in central Serbia. His father was a theologian and his mother was a teacher. Official biographies contain little information on his youth, but some reports say both his parents committed suicide. After graduating from Belgrade's law school in 1964, Milosevic joined the Communist Party, the traditional avenue to power in communist Yugoslavia. He moved up the career ladder, holding various business positions until 1983, when he was appointed director of one of the major state-run banks. He exploited Serbian nationalism when Yugoslavia's gradual disintegration began, and became Serbia's president in 1989. His advocacy of Serbian supremacy would fuel wars in Croatia, Bosnia -- and ultimately in Kosovo. Prevented by the Serbian constitution from another term as president, Milosevic simply moved offices, becoming the president of Yugoslavia and endowing that previously toothless position with unlimited authority. He was brutal in putting down early challenges, calling out Yugoslav army tanks in 1991 to disperse massive opposition demonstrations. In the current conflict, as in the wars in Croatia and Bosnia, his message has been the same: The world is united against Serbia, and Serbia must resist. Ironically, Milosevic might welcome NATO action as the ultimate evidence of the world's conspiracy against Serbs that will once again unite his people. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH-TV A LIN station.

MILOSEVIC PROFILE

(AP) _ Slobodan Milosevic is no stranger to confrontation, or going to the brink to maintain his grip on total power. The 57-year-old president of Yugoslavia was born in Pozarevac, an industrial city in central Serbia. His father was a theologian and his mother was a teacher. Official biographies contain little information on his youth, but some reports say both his parents committed suicide.

After graduating from Belgrade's law school in 1964, Milosevic joined the Communist Party, the traditional avenue to power in communist Yugoslavia. He moved up the career ladder, holding various business positions until 1983, when he was appointed director of one of the major state-run banks.

He exploited Serbian nationalism when Yugoslavia's gradual disintegration began, and became Serbia's president in 1989. His advocacy of Serbian supremacy would fuel wars in Croatia, Bosnia -- and ultimately in Kosovo.

Prevented by the Serbian constitution from another term as president, Milosevic simply moved offices, becoming the president of Yugoslavia and endowing that previously toothless position with unlimited authority.

He was brutal in putting down early challenges, calling out Yugoslav army tanks in 1991 to disperse massive opposition demonstrations.

In the current conflict, as in the wars in Croatia and Bosnia, his message has been the same: The world is united against Serbia, and Serbia must resist.

Ironically, Milosevic might welcome NATO action as the ultimate evidence of the world's conspiracy against Serbs that will once again unite his people.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.