War in the Balkans: Briefing: Day 55

n Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov said yesterday up to 100,000 Kosovo refugees should be moved out of his country. Macedonia has campaigned hard to reduce the number of refugees it is sheltering, estimated at 230,000. It says it cannot cope with the burden economically and the West has to do more to help. It also says that the influx threatens political stability. Under Macedonia's pressure, nearly 50,000 people have been taken to third countries.

n Pristina's Serb-run government yesterday banned the sale and distribution of all alcoholic drinks in the Kosovo capital.

n UN human rights envoy Jiri Dienstbier criticised Nato's bombing campaign against Belgrade: "If the international community's goal is to protect Kosovo Albanians, they are not protecting them by bombing Yugoslavia."