MILOVANOVIC, MILOVAN 86 Serbian statesman and diplomatist, was born at Belgrade on March 2, 1863, and was educated there and in Paris, where he was the first Serb to take his degree as doctor of law and was awarded a gold medal for his thesis. On returning home he was appointed pro fessor of international law at Belgrade university and soon ac quired the position of one of Serbia's leading jurists. He was mainly responsible for drafting the new Serbian Constitution of 1888; and, becoming secretary of the central committee of the Radical party, he entered politics and held successively the port folios of justice, commerce and finance during the closing decade of last century. In 1901 he went to Rome as minister, and retained his post after the revolution of 1903. In 1907 he represented Serbia at the Second Hague Conference, and was appointed a member of the international court of arbitration. In July 1908 he was made foreign minister in the Vetimirovi6 cabinet, and thus had to guide Serbian policy through the difficult period of the Bosnian annexation crisis.
In 1911 he succeeded Pasie as premier. In foreign politics he showed signal moderation, and though a confirmed Russophil, initiated negotiations for a commercial treaty with Austria-Hun gary and actively favoured good relations with Turkey. He was one of the chief founders of the Balkan League, the decisive step towards the creation of which was taken at a meeting between Milovanovie and the Bulgarian premier, Gueschov, on Oct. II, 1911. Secret negotiations continued throughout the winter and led to the conclusion of the Serbo-Bulgarian treaty of March 13, 1912 (see SERBIA). Discussions were still pending between the various Balkan capitals for a more precise and comprehensive project of alliance when, on July 1, 1912 at Belgrade, Dr. Milo vanovie died suddenly of heart failure. His removal at so critical a juncture was a grave blow to the cause of peace and moderation, and also deprived Serbia of her ablest statesman since the death of Prince Michael.