Letter: War's dilemmas

Sir: Here in the Balkans there is a mixture of contempt and concern after 19 nations proved unable to protect the Kosovars for whom they went to war. We cannot mend that.

But we can ensure the success of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, soon to be launched by the German presidency of the EU and "wholeheartedly supported by HMG".

This is intended to create new structures (involving Russia) which will bypass not just Milosovic but all the old nationalisms and "ethnicisms", by bringing the Balkans into the European co-prosperity sphere.

Convincingly launched, the Stability Pact would electrify people in this region, where the one thing that unites is the yearning for some form of association with the EU. But convincingly launched means generous funding for the "Marshall Plan" or development aid element in this Balkan regeneration.

To win a new Balkans we must prove the cynics here wrong who say the West will no more open its wallet to help the Balkans than act to save the Kosovars their ordeal.

JOHN PEDLER

J P Diplomatic Consultancy

Volosko,

Croatia