Clinton Rejects Milosevic's Halt Plea as NATO Campaign Continues

United States President Bill Clinton on Tuesday rebuffed an effort by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to halt the NATO bombing campaign, insisting that all Serb forces be removed from Kosovo and that an armed international security force be allowed in. Clinton held firm to the NATO position in discussions with Russian envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin, who presented Milosevic's demands. A senior official attending the meeting described the positions presented by Chernomyrdin as 'inadequate.' Meanwhile, the NATO campaign continues with airstrikes targeting Yugoslav forces and infrastructure, with the alliance flying over 600 sorties every night and passing the 14,000 mark since the campaign began on March 24.

Key Takeaways:

• Clinton refused to meet or converse with Milosevic, despite a letter from the Serb leader brought by Rev. Jesse Jackson, saying it contained nothing new.
• Milosevic is pushing for a partial withdrawal of his forces from Kosovo and a weak security presence, while Clinton insists on a full withdrawal and a robust security force.
• NATO has agreed to include Russian and Ukrainian troops in the enforcement mission, but Russia has not yet agreed to participate.
• The alliance attacked 77 planned targets and a few 'targets of opportunity' over the past two days, including soldiers, vehicles, and mobile launchers.
• Yugoslav forces are increasingly employing anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles, with one NATO aircraft suffering engine damage and being diverted to land at Skopje airfield.
• The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that 692,000 people have fled their homes in the past year, with 18 countries hosting refugees and a further 100,000 expected to cross borders soon.
• The Pentagon is considering a potential soft bomb campaign to cause power outages in Serbian-controlled areas.
• British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that Britain will accept more Kosovar Albanian refugees but did not specify when or how many.
• The US is preparing to receive a group of 300 Kosovar refugees on Tuesday, while Canada has agreed to give temporary haven to 5,000 Kosovars.

Statistics:

• Since the campaign began on March 24, NATO has flown over 14,000 sorties.
• The alliance has attacked 77 planned targets and a few 'targets of opportunity' over the past two days.
• Yugoslav forces have 10 percent of the devastated province of Kosovo, requiring roughly 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian troops to police.
• There are currently 193,000 refugees in Macedonia and 395,000 in Albania, with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees considering accepting additional refugees from Macedonia.
• 692,000 people have fled their homes in the past year, with 18 countries hosting refugees.
• 100,000 more refugees may soon cross borders.
• The US has received three American soldiers released from Yugoslav captivity, who are being treated at a medical facility in Landstuhl, Germany.

Sources:

• United Press International
• NATO
• Russian President Boris Yeltsin
• French President Jacques Chirac
• British Prime Minister Tony Blair
• US President Bill Clinton
• Rev. Jesse Jackson
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees