BBC News Online: UK

Russia warns Cook over Serbia bombing

Yuri Fokine, speaking on BBC TWO's Newsnight programme, said he had written to UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook calling for the six-nation Contact Group on the former Yugoslavia to meet in Moscow.

But he said the air strikes must stop first.

Mr Fokine attacked the Nato action as contrary to international law.

He said: "We must remember that breaking international law leads to catastrophes.

Threat of 'Third World War'

"We had two already in Europe. Do we want to have a Third World War, or what?"

The ambassador said Russia might reconsider its adherence to the UN arms embargo if President Slobodan Milosevic's regime continued to come under attack.

Asked if Russia was complying with the embargo, he said: "Well we are, although I think there is reason to think twice about that.

"This war disrupted quite a few agreements regarding Yugoslavia and I am sure there is need to study the matter once again."

'Dangerous precedent'

Mr Fokine said the Nato attacks were setting a dangerous precedent and could encourage nationalist sentiments across Europe.

He suggested the West was playing into the hands of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which wanted to secede from Yugoslavia.

"It's a signal to the nationalistic elements all around Europe that they can have their way and destroy the existing state," he said.

Mr Fokine was speaking as three US B-52 bombers returned to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after completing a mission against Serbian targets.

Earlier, in a speech to the House of Commons, Mr Cook said the decision to order Nato strikes came only after tireless efforts to find a diplomatic solution.

'Milosevic to blame'

He said: "We have tried repeatedly - right up the the last minute - to find a way to halt the repression of Kosovo Albanians through negotiation.

"It was not possible, and the person who made it impossible was President Milosevic.

"We were left with no other way of preventing the present humanitarian crisis from becoming a catastrophe, than by taking military action to limit the capacity of Milosevic's army to repress the Kosovo Albanians."

Relevant Stories

Yugoslav fighters shot down (26 Mar 99 | Europe)
Russia's UN bid fails (26 Mar 99 | Europe)
RAF videos show Serbia bombings (26 Mar 99 | UK)
Blair: 'The right thing to do' (26 Mar 99 | UK)
Russia caught on horns of dilemma (26 Mar 99 | Europe)
Russia's pride at stake in Kosovo (24 Mar 99 | Europe)

Internet Links

Russian Foreign Ministry
Government of Russia
UK Foreign Office
Serbian Ministry of Information
Kosovo Information Centre

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

Next steps for peace
Blairs' surprise over baby
Bowled over by Lord's
Beef row 'compromise' under fire
Hamilton 'would sell mother'
Industry misses new trains target
Quins fightback shocks Cardiff (From Sport)
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
IRA ceasefire challenge rejected
Thousands celebrate Asian culture
Christie could get two-year ban (From Sport)
Colleagues remember Compo (From Entertainment)
Mother pleads for baby's return
Toys withdrawn in E.coli health scare
Nurses role set to expand (From Health)
Israeli PM's plane in accident
More lottery cash for grassroots
Pro-lifers plan shock launch
Double killer gets life
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)
Straw on trial over jury reform (From UK Politics)
Tatchell calls for rights probe into Mugabe
Ex-spy stays out in the cold
Blair warns Livingstone (From UK Politics)
Smear equipment `misses cancers' (From Health)
Boyzone star gets in Christmas spirit (From Entertainment)
Fake bubbly warning
Murder jury hears dead girl's diary
Germ warfare fiasco revealed (From UK Politics)
Blair babe triggers tabloid frenzy
Tourists shot by mistake
A new look for News Online