YELTSIN-MILOSEVIC: INSTANT RAPPORT. "

We met for thefirst time but understood each other at once," Russian presidentBoris Yeltsin said on Russian TV August 10 at the end of his meeting,which he termed "historic," with Serbian president SlobodanMilosevic. "The war on Yugoslavia’s territory is not yourfault," Yeltsin assured Milosevic. Praising "Belgrade’sdedication to a political settlement…[and] its constructiveline," Yeltsin urged that it be rewarded by lifting the economicsanctions, and implied that Russia might otherwise lift them unilaterally.The Russian president also called for: Croatia to be made to respectSerbian minority rights and immediately cease military actions;unimpeded return of refugees; general ceasefire in all ex-Yugoslavia,and immediate implementation of the Contact Group’s current versionof the peace plan for Bosnia.

Mediation Offer Reaffirmed.