The French Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine, is beginning a two-day visit to Romania -- his second trip in the space of a week to one of Yugoslavia's frontline neighbours.

French officials say Mr Vedrine will be discussing the NATO bombing campaign, and giving assurances of French support for Romania's bid to join NATO and the European Union.

A BBC correspondent in Paris says France is well qualified because of its historical links to represent NATO in eastern Europe, where it is perceived as less closely tied to the United States than countries such as Britain.