Cook stands by NATO campaign

London - The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, yesterday rejected a claim by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that…

London - The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, yesterday rejected a claim by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that NATO's campaign in Kosovo was of "dubious legality", arguing the campaign followed the Security Council's overall aims, even though it was not supported by the UN, Rachel Donnelly reports.

In his response to a report on Kosovo by the all-party committee, Mr Cook said the NATO alliance had acted in accordance with international law.

Meanwhile, a report published yesterday by the UK Working Group on Landmines accused NATO countries of ignoring evidence that cast doubt on the effectiveness of cluster bombs used by its forces during the Kosovo conflict. Cluster bombs, which are designed to explode on impact but in cases where they fall in mud, snow or soft ground often remain on the ground unexploded, have killed 50 people in Kosovo in the past year and injured more than 150, the report said.