``We cannot defeat NATO,'' he told CNN. ``We have no right to have such ambitions and we must realise ... our world today is very often drummed by them, the law of power instead of power of law.''

In another interview, on Belgrade-based Studio B television, which is controlled by his SPO party, the former critic of Milosevic called for ``those who are ruling the country'' and ``so-called patriots'' not to ``lie to the people and finally tell them the truth.'' The truth, Draskovic told Studio B, is that ``we are alone. NATO is not facing collapse, Russia will not militarily help Yugoslavia and international opinion is against us.''

The Studio B interview may have had a stronger impact because official Serbian Television has been hit by the NATObombing of its transmitters.In the interview, Draskovic called for the deployment of a United Nations force in Kosovo, a solution so far rejected by Milosevic, who has accepted only the presence of non-armed observers.

According to Draskovic, such a solution should be based on a UN Security Council resolution, reached through consensus between Russia and NATO member countries. Analysts here questioned the motives of Draskovic's U-turn, which has not yet provoked any official reaction, with only one daily, the private-owned Glas Javnosti, publishing extracts.

Was this man, long seen by the West as a possible alternative to the regime in Belgrade, speaking for himself, or was he judging that Milosevic is ready to accept a military force in Kosovo under the auspices of the UN?

Without mentioning Milosevic, Draskovic called on ``people who are ruling the country'' to ``face reality'' and ``tell people clearly... what will become of Serbia in 20 days if this dreadful bombing goes on.'' He also remarked thata Yugoslav Parliament vote to join a union of Russia and Belarus would ``come to nothing''. Draskovic criticised the anti-NATO propaganda of the official media and the way in which it concealed the problem of Kosovo refugees. ``The horrible scenes of refugees in Albania, in Macedonia and in Montenegro, the dreadful human suffering, have moved people in the West and public opinion has turned against us. They have hidden that from us,'' he said.