By
The Associated Press
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia - Slobodan Milosevic conceded yesterday that his challenger finished first in Yugoslavia's presidential election and declared a runoff - defying demands at home and abroad that he step down.
Opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica insisted he won Sunday's election outright, rejecting an Oct. 8 runoff.
"We are talking about political fraud and blatant stealing of votes," Kostunica said. "This is an offer which must be rejected."
But he said the opposition would avoid "careless moves which could raise tensions in society, which could lead to unforeseeable consequences.
"The truth is obvious, and we will defend it by all nonviolent means," the opposition leader said. "The people have given their political 'no' to Milosevic and his policies."
Zoran Djindjic, another opposition leader, demanded to inspect the official returns. "We will copy them all, compare and see where the votes went missing," he said.
In its first statement since the balloting, the State Election Commission said Kostunica finished first with 48.22 percent to 40.23 percent for Milosevic. The law provided a runoff Oct. 8 if none of the five candidates received more than 50 percent of the votes cast.
Before the announcement, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia released its own tally, showing Kostunica with 55 percent to Milosevic's 35 percent. It said the figures were based on 97.5 percent of the ballots and taken from reports by opposition poll watchers at each precinct.
State television said the turnout was 64 percent, far below the 74 percent figure given by the opposition.
"We are dealing with a big fraud and falsifying of results," Djindjic said. He said the government had removed 400,000 votes from Kostunica and given half of them to Milosevic.
"We were aware of their intentions because it was obvious they were cooking up something to get Milosevic in the second round at least," Djindjic said, "But we have firm evidence in our hands and we will defend the will of the people till the end."
Yesterday, the leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle, met with Kostunica. The patriarch urged the ruling coalition "to accept the electoral will of the people and contribute to the welfare of the nation and the state."
The runoff announcement came despite growing international calls for Milosevic to accept an opposition victory. The United States pledged yesterday to lead an international campaign to pressure Milosevic into accepting the outcome.
The United States and most Western European countries made clear they thought Kostunica won Sunday's election. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "I say to Milosevic: You lost. Go. Your country and the world has suffered enough."
In Washington, Defense Secretary William Cohen said the United States would not stand by and watch Milosevic steal the election.
"I think the international community will look very closely, carefully and bring whatever pressure it can for Milosevic to abide by the will of his people," Cohen said. "The people want Milosevic out. Certainly the international community would welcome that result."
Just 150 miles northwest of Yugoslavia's pro-Western republic of Montenegro, U.S. and Croat forces held naval exercises yesterday, including a simulated Marine landing on an island in the Adriatic Sea. It was part of their largest joint exercise to date.
Capt. William Crow, commander of the USS Austin, said the exercise was planned months ago and was unrelated to the Yugoslav elections.
