NATO MOVES CLOSER TO KOSOVO MILITARY ACTIONS.

In a move likely to strainrelations with Moscow, the NATO allies moved yesterday a big step closer tousing military force in order to halt escalating violence in Kosovo. At ameeting in Brussels of NATO defense ministers, the Alliance ordered militaryplanners to begin preparing a list of options for possible intervention.NATO officials indicated that those options could include a no-fly zone, aheavy-weapons exclusion zone, a civilian air embargo, suppression of theYugoslav air force, air strikes at selected targets throughout federalYugoslavia and the use of ground forces.

The NATO defense ministers also ordered NATO forces to conduct air exercisesin Albania and Macedonia, states bordering Kosovo. The exercises, whichcould be held early next week, would be aimed at demonstrating to Belgrade”NATO’s capability to project power rapidly into the region.” A NATOcommunique issued after yesterday’s talks said that the Alliance’s militaryplanning was devised for “halting or disrupting a systematic campaign ofviolent repression and expulsion” against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.(Reuter, AP, June 11) NATO officials indicated that they would consult todaywith Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeev over yesterday’s decisions.Sergeev is in Brussels for talks with his NATO counterparts.

AS KREMLIN ANNOUNCES UPCOMING VISIT BY MILOSEVIC.