NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - US President Bill Clinton on Thursday cautiously welcomed a reported offer by Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic to accept soldiers from Christian Orthodox countries to guarantee peace in a post-war Kosovo.

      The Russian Itar-Tass news agency reported that Russian envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin had crafted a document with Milosevic that would allow "an international presence in Kosovo" under United Nations control and with Russian participation. "What kind of international forces they will be or from which countries -- this is yet to be discussed. But the main thing is that Russia take part," Tass quoted Chernomyrdin as saying.

      Clinton did not reject the offer as he has rejected others in the past. "If there is an offer for a genuine security force, that's the first time Mr. Milosevic has done that, and that represents I suppose some step forward," Clinton said. The United States has said from the beginning that Russian troops should take part in the international force for Kosovo, as well as Ukrainian troops, troops from Slavic countries and from Orthodox Christian countries, to protect the Serb minority from reprisals from ethnic Albanians on their return to Kosovo, Clinton noted.