War in the Balkns: Cetinje - `Troops out' demonstrations

SEVERAL HUNDRED Montenegrins took to the streets of the republic's historic capital yesterday to protest against the recent deployment of Yugoslav army reservists and heavy artillery to the area.

It was the first such anti-army demonstration in Montenegro since the start of the Kosovo crisis and coincided with growing tension between the civilian and military authorities over who should control the borders.

Men, women and children, some waving the red and white flags traditionally carried into battle, gathered outside Cetinje's city hall to hear emotional calls for the soldiers to leave the surrounding mountains. "If the government does not find a way of protecting us, then for sure the people of Cetinje will find a way," said a local resident, Milo Dapcevic, to loud cheers from the crowd.

Montenegro is Serbia's junior partner in the Yugoslav federation, but it has refused to recognise Belgrade's declaration of a state of war and has denounced Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic as a war-mongerer.

The Montenegrin President, Milo Djukanovic, accused federal army forces on Thursday of trying to usurp the powers of his administration and warned those responsible they would be held to account once the Kosovo crisis was resolved. (Reuters)