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To: IceShark who wrote (31966)	4/9/1999 10:09:00 AM
From: NickSE	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 86076

Yeltsin warns US, NATO of escalation MOSCOW, April 9 (UPI) - Russian President Boris Yeltsin has issued a stern warning to the United States and NATO not to escalate the Balkan crisis by sending ground troops into Kosovo, saying Russia would not tolerate such a development. Yeltsin said: "They (U.S. and NATO) want to move on to ground action, they want to seize Yugoslavia and make it their protectorate. We cannot permit that." Yeltsin today reiterated that Russia was not planning to get involved militarily "unless we are pushed (to do so) by the Americans." He said, "Russia will not get involved unless forced (by NATO actions)." Yeltsin's sharp-worded remarks were followed by a statement by Gennady Seleznyov ("ghen-NAH-dee seh-lehz-NYAWF"), the speaker of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, that Yeltsin had ordered Russian missiles repositioned, targetting NATO. Russia's Strategic Missile Forces command moved swiftly to deny Seleznyov's statement, with Defense Ministry officials saying they had received no instructions to point Russian missiles at NATO targets, but nervousness remained. In a separate development that could add a new dimension to the Balkan crisis, Seleznyov said Yeltsin is seriously considering a proposal made by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to form a full political union among Russia, Belarus and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Duma speaker, who had earlied today held an extensive meeting with Yeltsin to discuss his trip to Belgrade, told stunned legislators he had described Milosevic's proposal and Yeltsin had supported creation of a Slav union. In Minsk, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters he welcomed the creation of a three-member Slav union. On Thursday, Yeltsin appeared to have ruled out the proposal of a union with Belgrade, calling it "inadvisable from both legal and political points of view." But the continuing NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia and the West's rejection of Milosevic's cease-fire initiative have angered Moscow and Yeltsin may have had a change of heart. The Kremlin has avoided commenting on the formation of the union. If Yeltsin does go ahead with the startling plan, it may also be for a reason closer to home - the imminient impeachment bid of Yeltsin by the Duma. As if to confirm this scenario, Seleznyov today urged legislators to consider postponing the impeachment process against Yeltsin because of the Kosovo crisis and the Yugoslav proposal on union with Russia and Belarus. The speaker's motion was turned down by the hardliners, despite support from a small pro-government faction. The Communist-backed impeachment bid is set to begin on April 15.