[PEN-L:7127] (Fwd) NATO looking at a fundamental switch of tactics - The Da

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Date sent:              Fri, 21 May 1999 12:06:37 -0700
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Subject:                NATO looking at a fundamental switch of tactics - The Daily
        Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph                                                             May 
21, 1999

NATO CONSIDERS HALT TO BOMBING

        Looking at a fundamental switch of tactics

        By Toby Helm in Brussels and Christopher Lockwood, Diplomatic Editor 

        NATO leaders are considering a fundamental switch of tactics 
whereby the bombing of Serbia could be halted before Slobodan 
Milosevic has met the alliance's five conditions for a ceasefire.
        The move, if agreed, would represent a significant climbdown 
from Nato's position that its demands must be met in full before the 
air campaign could end. Central to these are the withdrawal of all 
Serb forces from Kosovo and the intervention of a Nato-led 
peacekeeping force.
        As diplomatic efforts to find a solution intensified yesterday, 
Nato made it clear that it was seriously considering plans advanced 
by Massimo D'Alema, the Italian prime minister. These involved a 
cessation of bombing as soon as a United Nations Security Council 
resolution on a settlement had been merely drafted. The resolution, 
being prepared in Bonn by senior diplomats of the G8 countries, 
could be ready today.
        Under the Italian plan, bombing would stop before Milosevic 
had withdrawn any of his 40,000 troops and perhaps even before he 
had formally agreed to do so, and to allow in a Nato-led 
peacekeeping force. The bombing would halt before the UN 
resolution had been officially approved to get round the possibility 
of a Chinese veto.
        Following more shuttle diplomacy by Russia's Balkans envoy, 
Viktor Chernomyrdin, Belgrade stated yesterday that it was ready 
to accept a peace formula along the lines of the original G8 plan 
that now forms the basis for the UN resolution. After meeting Mr 
D'Alema at Nato headquarters in Brussels, Javier Solana, the Nato 
Secretary General, said the alliance would take his proposal "very 
seriously".
        It was "not in contradiction to the position we have taken in the 
alliance". The drafting of the resolution and the cessation of 
bombing could be carried out "practically simultaneously". Last 
night, Mr Solana flew to London to meet Tony Blair and for dinner 
with George Robertson, the Defence Secretary. The Italian plan 
was understood to be one of the main items for discussion.
        At yesterday's Nato briefing in Brussels, Jamie Shea, the 
alliance spokesman, hinted clearly that the D'Alema plan, or 
something like it, was under active consideration. Previously, Nato 
had rejected any such claims out of hand. Mr D'Alema, among the 
most dovish of the Nato leaders, said yesterday that if bombing was 
stopped and the Serbs failed to withdraw, Italy would support any 
military action the alliance wanted to take - including, the use of 
ground troops.
        However, he criticised Mr Blair's vocal support for ground 
troops, saying: "It is a totally useless exercise, a pointless exercise, 
which is useful only for our adversaries."
        Last night American sources in Nato were sceptical about the 
suggested tactical change. President Clinton said: "We will continue 
our military campaign until our conditions are met. I believe the 
campaign is working."