Chinese leader in Yugoslavia

The chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress, Li Peng, has held talks with the Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, on the second day of his visit to Belgrade.

In a statement issued after the meeting the two leaders called for withdrawal of international troops from Kosovo.

They said the NATO-led forces had failed to prevent what they called a genocide of non-Albanians, and should be replaced by Serb troops.

In an earlier address to parliament in Belgrade, Mr Li criticised NATO's air campaign against Yugoslavia last year.

Correspondents say his comments have been seen a sign of strong support to Mr Milosevic's increasingly isolated government. The two countries became closer after the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade was hit by NATO bombs during the conflict.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service