War Crimes:
The "brutal efficiency" of war crimes in Kosovo indicates the involvement of top Serbian leaders, says a spokesman for Ms Louise Arbour (right), chief prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia. "The nature of the war crimes, and the brutal efficiency with which they appear to have been committed in Kosovo, would indicate responsibility very high up the chain of command," according to Mr Paul Risley, a spokesman for the chief prosecutor. The tribunal has created a "crime database" from "very accurate eyewitness accounts of war crimes and crimes against humanity", he tells journalists. "Any international agreement that is reached over the status of Kosovo must respect the authority of the tribunal."
The Campaign:
NATO military experts propose boosting the number of troops to be used in a Kosovo peace mission from 28,000 to 45,000: NATO troops would form the "core" of the peacekeeping force but other countries may also take part. A total of 16,000 troops have already been deployed in Macedonia in a Kosovo force (Kfor) which is scheduled to enter Kosovo when Yugoslav forces have withdrawn. An additional 7,000 are in Albania. NATO says the "peacekeepers" will only be deployed in Kosovo if Mr Milosevic meets its five conditions.
Diplomacy:
UN Kosovo envoy Mr Eduard Kukan, the Slovak Foreign Minister, meets NATO Secretary-General Mr Javier Solana in Brussels to discuss the Yugoslav crisis; he also meets his co-envoy, Mr Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister, in Geneva later in the day. The two UN envoys visit Stockholm tomorrow for talks with Mr Kofi Annan (left) who appointed them earlier this month. Russia's Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, is also due in Stockholm to discuss the crisis with Mr Annan.
Mr Ivanov's Stockholm visit will take place amid a flurry of diplomatic activity as the Western powers and Russia try to reach agreement on a peace deal they can take to Belgrade.
There has been some confusion evident in statements emanating from uncertain "allies". "It is an entirely good thing that Russia's President, Foreign Minister and special envoy are putting their shoulders to the wheel, as we are, to see how much we can achieve together," says US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Strobe Talbott. Germany's Defence Minister, Mr Rudolf Scharping, is even more bullish. "Russia's position is coming closer to NATO's and it is drifting away from Milosevic . . ." However, Mr Ivanov is adamant in an interview with Madrid's ABC newspaper that NATO-Russia relations "will never be the same again".
Refugees:
The first 200 Kosovan refugees leave for camps in southern Albania, which are considered to be at a safer distance from the conflict in Kosovo. Humanitarian organisations and Albanian officials try to convince reluctant refugees to move to camps set up in southern and western Albania. The 200 refugees depart voluntarily but not wholly convinced. This is the first official transfer from the camps.
Sheaspeak:
On the humanitarian Richter scale of suffering we hit a nine over the weekend.
These reports reinforce NATO's determination to continue with Operation Allied Force until justice has been done.
All of the conditions for the defeat of the Belgrade regime are now in place.
It is not yet the end, it perhaps is not yet the beginning of the end but it is certainly the end of the beginning. There is no doubt about that. (Echoing Churchill).
The Serb forces are now pinned down and their losses are increasing, the economic noose around Serbia is in place and all surrounding countries are united against Milosevic.
Even if it takes a little bit more time, we have reached the stage where the end now is not in doubt.
And
Serbian opposition leader and former mayor of Belgrade, Mr Zoran Djindjic, says Yugoslav troops are deserting in Kosovo but warns that further bombing will not bring Belgrade back to talks. Mr Djindjic, now living in Montenegro, in an interview with the daily Tageszeitung, said the desertions reflected both a protest against the war and families' worries for their sons.
Quote of the Day:
"We have to keep the border open. If that border becomes closed then these desperate people will rot in Kosovo." Mr Kris Janowski, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees