MOSCOW, April 28 (AFP) - Russia on Wednesday warned that a NATO
ground offensive in Yugoslavia could ruin the chances of a
diplomatic solution to the Kosovo crisis.
"Russia has always called for, and continues to call for, a halt
to actions that could end the current political effort," said
Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
"That means the (oil) embargo and the ground offensive," the top
Russian diplomat said after talks here with Greek counterpart
Georgios Papandreou.
Greece, a member of NATO, has also warned against troop
involvement in Yugoslavia and has ruled out allowing its ports to be
used for western soldiers in such a campaign.
"A ground offensive should not take place because the wounds it
would cause will still be felt in 10 years' time," Papandreou said.
A clutch of western diplomats are making stopovers in Moscow
this week in search of a diplomatic solution to the five-week old
NATO bombing campaign launched to punish Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic for his crackdown in the Kosovo province.
UN chief Kofi Annan will arrive here on Wednesday evening.
Ivanov earlier on Wednesday met with German Defense Minister
Rudolf Scharping, voicing confidence that diplomacy may yet
prevail.
"The situation is difficult but at the same time there are
possibilities for a political exit to the situation," Ivanov said.
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