The British foreign secretary, Robin Cook, has said all the signals being received by Britain from Moscow indicate that Russia has not changed its policy on seeking a diplomatic solution for Kosovo.

Mr Cook was speaking after a meeting in London with the Kosovo Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova, who is on a European tour.

Mr Rugova said Kosovo has become a landscape of deserted towns and hillsides.

He said it was important that there was a NATO presence in Kosovo to ensure the return of all the refugees.