The United States has blamed the President of Federal Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, for violent protests in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, by supporters of the outgoing president, Momir Bulatovic.

The US special envoy to the Balkans, Robert Gelbard, said he held Mr Milosevic responsible for supporting the demonstrations and for not restraining his ally, Mr Bulatovic.

Mr Gelbard described Mr Bulatovic's behaviour in inciting the riots as absolutely outrageous.

Government ministers said most of the injured were police

More than 40 people were injured in the violence, most of them police.

Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, who were demanding fresh elections, alleging that last October's poll was rigged.

Crowds were attempting to break into the offices of the newly-elected Montenegrin president, Milo Djukanovic.

Mr Djukanovic - a reformer who opposes Mr Milosevic and is backed by the West - was later sworn in the historic city of Cetinje.

Political power struggle

Disturbances in the tiny republic, which together with Serbia makes up Yugoslavia, erupted following the failure of talks aimed at calming political tensions on the eve of Mr Djukanovic's inauguration.

The new president is offering to hold early parliamentary elections as a compromise instead of fresh presidential polls, but this has failed to satisfy his rival's camp.

Plea for international help

The West supported Mr Djukanovic's victory and warned President Milosevic not to disrupt the handover of power in Montenegro.

Many of the rioters were giving Serbian salutes

Reuters news agency said following the clashes on Wednesday the Montenegrin government had appealed to the West to help avoid serious destabilisation in Yugoslavia.

The Foreign Minister, Branko Perovic, is said to have issued an urgent letter to the ambassadors of western countries and Russia, asking them to take "urgent diplomatic steps with both the republic and federal Yugoslav governments".
 

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