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CNN Live At Daybreak

Milosevic to Receive Visit from Wife

Aired July 19, 2001 - 07:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Three weeks after being handed over to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal, Slobodan Milosevic is seeing his wife today.

With more on this visit, we go to CNN's Chris Burns. He is standing by in The Hague in the Netherlands.

Chris, I thought that the Milosevic family was banned from traveling to Europe.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's absolutely right.

But the Dutch government made an exception and gave a three-day visa to Ms. Markovic to visit her husband. She arrived here at the prison about 2 1/2 hours ago. She is expected to stay here several hours until this afternoon -- and perhaps, obviously, meet him in the next couple of days.

She brings with her comfort at least, because the two have been very, very close ever since they were high school sweethearts. She also perhaps brings some advice, because she was known as the Lady Macbeth of the Balk. And she had been a very powerful influence behind Mr. Milosevic during his years of rule -- and even before that. So she perhaps might have some advice for Mr. Milosevic ever since he faced The Hague Tribunal last week and said: I don't want to a legal -- I don't want legal representation. I want to represent myself. This court illegal. It's a tool of NATO leaders who should be in my cell and not me -- Carol.

LIN: Chris, take us inside The Hague. Take us inside the prison. What is it like in there? And where exactly are they going to be meeting?

BURNS: Well, a little bit of speculation there, because Mr. Milosevic is among some 40 other accused war criminals inside the prison. Each has his own -- his or her own separate cell, along with a private shower, a television. He can tune into to Belgrade television if he wants to -- has a coffee maker.

There is also, though, what's called an intimacy room for conjugal visits. And perhaps they might be meeting in there as well. We'll have to see how -- what comment that comes on from that.

But the two have been very, very close. And they -- especially when Mr. Milosevic was in prison in Belgrade after he was arrested back April 1 -- she spent every day with him. And she, apparently -- according to reports, she will be looking for an apartment here when Mr. Milosevic -- for when he goes on trial in about a year, because that trial could last several years -- Carol.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Chris Burns, giving us an inside look at The Hague.

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