Yugoslavia sticks to its guns

Yugoslav soldiers still patrol, seven years after the war

Yugoslavia says it will not withdraw its forces from the border with Croatia despite calls for the area to be demilitarised.

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic was responding after an appeal by Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan for troops to be removed.

This follows an incident where Yugoslav soldiers fired on a boat carrying Croatian officials towards a disputed island on the River Danube.

The island is controlled by Yugoslavia, but Croats have property claims there.

Sarengradska Ada - an uninhabited island of forests and fields covering about 900 hectares (2,220 acres) - is one of a number of disputed border areas.

Yugoslavia is planning to replace its troops along the border with a new security force, but this has been delayed.

Correspondents say Sunday's incident is an indication of how tense relations between the two countries remain, despite a recent diplomatic thaw.

Stalled plans

The Yugoslav foreign minister rejected a call for troops to be removed from the Sarengradska Ada area, saying that in line with regulations it will be secured by the army.

Ivica Racan: Not satisfied with personal apology

Mr Svilanovic said plans to replace the army with a special force, perhaps border police, had been put on hold while negotiations continue over the future of the two republics which make up Yugoslavia - Serbia and Montenegro.

The existing federation is due to be replaced at the end of the year by a new union.

No-one was hurt in Sunday's incident, and the Croats involved were released after being interrogated.

Croatian officials said they had been on their way to the island on a trip pre-arranged with Serbian representatives.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic phoned his Croatian counterpart to offer a personal apology for the incident, but Mr Racan said this was not enough and demanded a public apology.

Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, leading to a bitter conflict with Serbs within Croatia who were opposed to the secession.

Croatia also backed forces opposed to Serbia in the Bosnian war.

Yugoslavia has controlled Sarengradska Ada since war broke out, but people from Sarengrad, in eastern Croatia, say it belongs to Croatia.