Serbia's Ambassador To Nato Leaps To His Death

Serbia's ambassador to Nato has committed suicide by leaping from a multi-storey car park at Brussels airport, officials say.

A Serbian government statement said that 52-year-old envoy Branislav Milinkovic died instantly on Tuesday night.

Mr Milinkovic is reported to have suddenly jumped from the 10-metre-high car park level while waiting with the Serbian delegation of foreign ministry officials, ahead of talks with Nato officials.

Serbia is not a member of the military alliance, but has a mission in the headquarters complex.

Mr Milinkovic, a former journalist, previously served as Serbia's ambassador to Austria.

Before that, he was active in the opposition to the authoritarian regime of Serbia's former leader Slobodan Milosevic.

"Ambassador Branislav Milinkovic was a highly respected representative of his country and will be missed at Nato headquarters," Alliance spokeswoman Carmen Romero said.

The statement described him as "an excellent diplomat, a leading intellectual and a noble man".

Mr Milinkovic is survived by a wife and six-year-old son.