Letter: Crisis over Kosovo

Sir: The US is violating a number of international laws in attacking Serbia.

Article 2 of the UN Charter prohibits the use of force against a sovereign state where it has not committed aggression on other states.

Nato's own charter claims it is a defensive organisation only committed to force if one of its members is attacked.

The so-called Rambouillet "agreement" (there was no agreement by Serbia ) is a violation of the 1980 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties which forbids the use of coercion and force (such as Nato bombs) to compel any state to sign a treaty or agreement.

The Helsinki Accords Final Act of 1975 guarantees the territorial frontiers of the states of Europe.

If the sequel to the bombing is recognition of Kosovo as an independent state, this will violate international law that prohibits recognition of provinces that unilaterally declare independence.

These unlawful actions will set precedents that will undermine stability elsewhere in the world.

GEORGE C THOMAS

Department of Political Science

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA