The World - News from Jan. 31, 1989

Yugoslav Communist Party chief Stipe Suvar unleashed a scathing attack on “dogmatic” policies attributed to his main rival, Serbian party leader Slobodan Milosevic, as liberals and hard-liners clashed at a key meeting of the party’s policy-setting Central Committee. The meeting in Belgrade was called to discuss demands for Suvar’s resignation and a possible shake-up in the ruling elite. At the session, Adm. Petar Simic, military member of the 23-man ruling Politburo, warned the policy-makers that the armed forces might intervene to crush factionalism. Speaking hours after Suvar, Milosevic defended his stands and called for sweeping changes in the party leadership.