>>TALK OF INVASION PLAYED DOWN AS AIR RAIDS CONTINUE
>>By Ben Fenton in Washington and Jon Hibbs
>>MINISTERS and generals played down talk of an imminent ground invasion of
>>Kosovo yesterday as Nato stepped up its air attacks on targets across
>>Yugoslavia.
>>Reports that Britain would provide up to 50,000 troops as part of a
>>150,000-strong army to invade the province to get Kosovo refugees home
>>before winter were described as premature in Whitehall and Brussels.
>>Smoke rises over Belgrade on the 68th day of Nato attacksWhile Nato
>>acknowledged that a key meeting took place last week between William Cohen,
>>the American Defence Secretary, and his European counterparts, Robin Cook
>>insisted there had been no change in the strategy governing Operation
>>Allied Force. But the Foreign Secretary hinted that the alliance was
>>running out of time before the issue had to be confronted.
>>He told the BBC: "We are not making any decision at the present time, nor
>>is there any proposal in front of us to make a decision. But we have always
>>said all options are under review, and it would be important for any
>>military organisation to keep options under review so they are there and
>>available for ministers if the time comes to take a decision."
>>Publicly Britain insisted that Nato would continue to put its faith in the
>>air campaign, and there was therefore no immediate question of sending in
>>an invasion force against Serb opposition. Privately, however, sources
>>acknowledged that contingency plans were being developed in Whitehall for
>>the deployment of ground troops, though these were being kept on the shelf
>>until the politicians gave the go-ahead.
>>Ministers believe a final decision will have to be made by the middle of
>>next month in order to mount a successful operation before winter. The
>>Ministry of Defence said Mr Cohen and the European defence ministers had
>>reviewed the progress of the military campaign so far, but had taken no
>>decisions beyond sanctioning the increase in troop numbers announced last
>>week.
>>A spokesman said: "Nothing in terms of options is being ruled out.
>>Discussions were wide-ranging and they considered troop numbers in the
>>light of the revised Nato requirement."
>>Officials also played down suggestions that large numbers of reservists
>>would be called up for service in Kosovo, including doctors and nurses
>>working in the National Health Service. Some medical personnel will be
>>among the 12,000 extra troops Britain agreed to send to Kosovo last week,
>>including a number of regular servicemen and women seconded to the NHS. But
>>the spokesman said: "We have no intention to call up reservists en masse."
>>The deliberations over ground troops came as Nato planes continued their
>>offensive. Yugoslav state media said at least nine people died after
>>missiles hit a bridge in the central town of Krusevac.
>>Nato said the bridge, a legitimate and designated target, was attacked by
>>four aircraft. It was unable to confirm reports of casualties but said it
>>"never intentionally targets civilians".
>>Gen Wesley Clark, commander of Nato's operations against Yugoslavia, said
>>he was opposed to a pause in the air campaign but had noted a change of
>>tone in Belgrade. He told CNN: "Any bombing pause would give the Serbs a
>>chance to continue their campaign against some 500,000-plus Kosovo
>>Albanians who are still inside Kosovo."
>>But there was "a significant change in the tone of pronouncements coming
>>from Belgrade" following the visit of the Russian envoy, Viktor
>>Chernomyrdin, on Friday.
>>While claiming there is no need to change strategy, Gen Clark is frustrated
>>by the restrictions placed on him by the need to retain a consensus of 19
>>Nato countries. At last Thursday's meeting of defence ministers in Bonn, Mr
>>Cohen is understood to have sided with those who opposed even planning a
>>full-scale ground invasion.