War Briefing - Day 28

The Campaign:

The Campaign:

Severe damage caused to modern Belgrade office block, the Usce Business Centre, housing HQ of President Milosevic's political p[arty, the Serbian Sociality Party. Building also home to Kosovo TV and radio station, run by his daughter Mar, Marija, and television station Pink, run by Zeljko Mitrovic, prominent member of the United Left Party, led by Milosevic's wife Mira. Nato says building also "a link in Yugoslavia's air defence command and control network."

Tanjug, Yugoslav news agency, says at least 10 people killed and 16 injured when Croatian Serb refugee camp in Djakovica, AFP reporter confirms four dead, 20 injured; two detonations rock south Belgrade; third and last bridge over Danube at Novi Sad hit; road, rail and water supplies to city now all cut; fourth Danube span at Beska also hit; Nato also targeted TV transmitter and oil refinery near Novi Sad, airport in central Serbia and Kruzik factory in Valjevo. First Apache helicopters arrive in Albania.

Ground Troops:

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Nato supreme commander, General Wesley Clark, may seek permission to update assessment last autumn on possible use of goof troops; assessment said invasion would need hundreds of thousands of troops; new assessment possible in light of effect of Allied bombings; Tony Blair reported to have reached outline agreement with US and France to start planning for invasion.

The KLA:

Kosovo Liberation Army using horses taken form refugees to carry supplies to fighters in Kosovo, says British aid worker.

Nato spokesman Jamie Shea says Yugoslav forces shelling Kosovo Liberation Army west of Pec. In western Kosovo, where some 15,m000 ethnic Albanians displaced persons are.

Refugees:

Belgrade insists it alone will solve Kosovo crisis and claim refugees are already returning. Foreign ministry spokesman Nebojsa Vujovic says 23,000 refugees returned home on Tuesday. Us says it will take 20,000 to its mainland.

Diplomacy:

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov calls for immediate end to all military operations, an end to violence and repression, withdrawal from Kosovo of "excessively high" number of soldiers and police, safe return of all refugees, free access to humanitarian organisations, resumption of peace talks and definition on an International presence in Kosovo acceptable to all; Russian envoy Viktor Chermomyyrdin expected to fly to Belgrade Thursday for peace talks; Interfax news agency says his plane granted air corridor to reach Belgrade.

Inside Serbia:

Zvonko Zivanovic sentenced to five months in jail for attacking the reputation of president Milosevic, leading pro-government newspaper Politika reports. Independent Belgrade newsletter VIP says woman in Jagodina got three-month prison sentence for blaming late pensions and wages on Milosevic.

In The Region:

Montenegro raises stakes in confrontation with Yugoslav army by threatening to dismantle military checkpoint blocking border with Croatia; Montenegro's main opposition party, which has close ties with President Milosevic, plans large rally in Capital Podogrica on Thursday.

Quote of the Day:

There's no chance that the Yugoslav president will give a news conference. - Source close to Mr Milosevic (who said he would rather not give his name).