----- Original Message ----- From: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2000 6:10 AM Subject: [STOPNATO] British Brinksmanship Against Yugoslavia Planned STOP NATO: �NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.COM http://www.the-times.co.uk (Britain) The Times (UK) August 26 2000 BRITAIN Balkans watch for 'Invincible' BY MICHAEL EVANS, DEFENCE EDITOR A ROYAL NAVY aircraft carrier has been pulled out of an exercise with the United States to be on hand in case President Milosevic launches a military operation in Montenegro. The decision to keep HMS Invincible in readiness for duty in the Adriatic over the next few months is a clear sign of the Government's concerns about the potential for trouble in the Balkans. Britain has been scaling down its military presence in Bosnia and Kosovo because the long-term commitment in the Balkans has been stretching resources in the Army. The Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence, however, are determined to send the right signals to Belgrade to remind President Milosevic that Britain and its allies in Nato are aware of the scheming he may have in mind. With Mr Milosevic standing for re-election next month, as well as municipal elections in Kosovo, there are serious concerns that the Yugoslav leader may try to undermine the relative stability in the Balkans. It is feared that he could order his troops in Montenegro to flex their muscles in the Yugoslav republic so as to test Nato's willingness to support its leader, President Djukanovic, with military action. Belgrade has 10,000 troops in Montenegro. Britain and others in the alliance are not anxious to face another military confrontation with Mr Milosevic and are more concerned with conflict-prevention. Prudent management of the Balkans issue rather than preparing for further military campaigns is seen as the way forward. As part of the conflict management strategy, the MoD and Foreign Office have decided that it would be sensible to take military precautions to ensure that Belgrade gets the message that any violent action by Yugoslav forces in Montenegro could lead to retaliation by Nato. Britain does not support the idea of an independent Montenegro - or an independent Kosovo - believing that the creation of mini-states in the Balkans would destabilise the region. HMS Invincible, with a Type 42 destroyer, HMS Liverpool, and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Fort George will be deployed next month to the Mediterranean. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! http://mail.yahoo.com/ ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Online training from Headlight.com can improve your team's skills, and keep your business on the cutting edge! Act today and save $30. Prices starting at $12 Choose from 1,500 courses ranging from business to IT. Click here to save http://on.linkexchange.com/?ATID=27&AID=1578
