War Briefing - Day 29

Ground Troops:

Ground Troops:

Nato leaders celebrating Alliance's 50th anniversary in Washington amid increasing liklihood ground troops will invade Kosovo. Nato secretary general Javier Solano orders military re-evaluation of Autumn '98 assessment of numbers of troops required; first study said 75,000 would be needed - 125,000 more if Nato wanted to invade Serbia and take Belgrade; US, Britain and France support reassessment but insist no decision will be made in Washington.

Milosevic interview:

Yugoslav president breaks cove with first media interview in English since war began. He tells Ron Hatchett, military analyst with KHOU-V, Houston, Texas, he will negotiate if Nato stops bombing, says US waging war against Yugoslav people, says concern for Albanian is only excuse to take over Kosovo.

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The campaign:

Nato destroys Milosevic villa-style home in exclusive Dedinje suburb of Belgrade; Alliance claims home part of Yugoslav military command and control structure; Milosevic family not there when three missiles hit; Nato denies targeting Milosevic; Yugoslav minister Goran Matic says attack is assassination attempt.

Serbian news agency Beta says 20 missiles hit Batajnica military airfield and also factory in central Serbia; Tanjug, official Yugoslav news agency, says 30 missiles fired at Pristina.

Belgrade says 517 civilians have died in war and more than 4,000 are seriously injured; figures cannot be confirmed independently; authorities also 11 bridges destroyed, 14 damaged; also damaged: 12 railway lines and stations, six major roads, seven airports, 16 hospitals and more than 190 schools.

Refugees:

Macedonia unable to cope with refugees and must start evacuation to third countries, says UNHCR; some 130,000 refugees are in Macedonia, over 50,000 in camps.

Ireland to take first 300 of 1,000 refugees government agreed to accept "within weeks", says Liz O'Donnell. 591,6000 have fled Kosovo since start of Nato campaign, says UNHCR.

6,000 refugees remain stranded without food in Malina, remote mountain area in Macedonia; UNHCR refused access.

Diplomacy:

Russian envoy Viktor Chemomyrdin holds talk in Belgrade with Milosevic and Serb president, Milan Milutinovic; his report that Milosevic had agreed to an "international presence" in Kosovo was greeted cautiously.

In the region:

Montenegro border with Croatia operates normally after closure for two days by Yugoslav army; interior minister Vukasin Maras reject's army demands to put republic's police under it's command; tensions high in Podgorica ahead of major anti-Nato rally; government urges ethnic minorities not to flee country, saying exodus would be victory for killers of six unarmed Kosovan refugees at border last weekend.

Romania parliament agrees unrestricted use of airspace by Nato; special session of both houses votes 225 to 21.

And...

The Natural Law Party writes to Nato offering Transcendental meditation training for 10,000 troops in Balkans; letter says yogic flying will "create an atmosphere in which a stable solution will naturally emerge" and meditation will promote harmony "not by bombing but by radiating peace"; party urges practitioners to go to Croatian Port of Dubrovnic to generate atmosphere of peace.

Quote of the Day:

He will not be unhappy living in bunkers. He does not have a very luxurious lifestyle...He does not have a taste for fast ladies, fast cars. He is not a drunkard nor womaniser, nor does he go for gold taps. - Dr Jonathan Eyal on hoe President Milosevic will cope with the loss of hid house.