Slobodan Milosevic became President of Serbia and Yugoslavia in 1987. Almost immediately the various ethic peoples of Yugoslavia began to seek independance. A major complication was that there were large numbers of ethnic Serbs in Slovenia, Croatia ,Bosnia and Kosovo. Robert worked to help resolve all the difficulties and facilitate the emergence of Croatia and Slovenia.

Robert reported  that Milosovic was not personally responsible for the crisis but was being manipulated by the Communist political system which had elected him.

There followed the execution and rape of  up to 20,000 muslims in Bosnia.  It was decided that regardless of Robert’s opinions Milosovic should be assasinated.