24.03.1999, 18:41

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Milan Panic, Chairman and CEO of ICN Pharmaceuticals andFormer Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, Meets With Gro HarlemBrundtland, Director General of The World Health Organization Geneva (ots-PRNewswire) - - Appeals to the world: 'Don't bomb Serbs. Remove Milosevic.' - Warns of a potential public health catastrophe in Serbia asa result of the illegal seizure of ICN Yugoslavia. Milan Panic, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ICNPharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: ICN) and former Prime Minister ofYugoslavia, met here today with Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland,Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) andformer Prime Minister of Norway. Mr. Panic told the head of the WHO that the illegal seizure ofthe ICN facility in Yugoslavia by the Serbian government isendangering the health of the Yugoslavian people. ICN's Yugoslavsubsidiary supplies 50 percent of the medicinal needs of Serbia.Since it acquired its Serbian factory in 1991, ICN maintained itscommitment to produce needed drugs for the people of Yugoslaviadespite a deteriorating business environment, includinghyperinflation and price controls, created by the economicsanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council againstYugoslavia in 1992. In early 1998, ICN agreed to sell medicines to the Yugoslavgovernment on long-term credit to ensure their continuedavailability to the Yugoslav people. Milosevic's governmentexpressed its "gratitude" a few months later by defaulting on adebt of $174 million due ICN for medicines provided to theSerbian health system. Without the working capital and expertise supplied by ICN, Mr.Panic added, the Serbian government will be unable to operateICN's factory effectively, thus denying the Yugoslav people themedicines they need. The health of the nation will deteriorate,and the result will be a tragedy caused by a callused politicalsystem that cares only about retaining its dictatorial monopolyon power, at the expense of its citizens. "The only true solutions to the problems of former Yugoslaviaare democratization and integration in a unified Europe," Mr.Panic said, "and this can only become possible if the countrygets rid of Slobodan Milosevic and his regime. Threats of airstrikes and dependence on Milosevic for peace can only strengthenMilosevic." The international community, Mr. Panic underscored, shouldsupport the democratic opposition in Serbia, which he represents.The world should isolate Milosevic, he said, and force him toresign. "NATO should not try to bomb Milosevic to the negotiatingtable but should exclude him from the table", said Mr. Panic.Milosevic is the one who is to blame for much of the bloodshed informer Yugoslavia ever since 1991, Mr. Panic emphasized. No meansof pressure on Milosevic should be spared, including freezing hispersonal assets abroad. Urging Mrs. Brundtland to express her concern for thepotential for a public health catastrophe in Yugoslavia, causedby the seizure of ICN Yugoslavia, Mr. Panic reiterated his appealto the world: "Don't bomb Serbs. Remove Milosevic." ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc. manufactures and markets a broadrange of prescription and non-prescription pharmaceuticals andbiotechnology research products in over 90 countries. ICN hasoperations in North and Latin America, Europe, and the PacificRim. Additional information is available on the corporate websiteat http://www.icnpharm.com. ots Original Text Service: ICNPharmaceuticals, Inc. Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.deContact: New York - Whit Clay, (USA) 212-704-4559, or London -Simon Scott, 44-171-344-1253 both of Edelman Worldwide, for ICNPharmaceuticals Web site: http://www.icnpharm.com

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