Letter: Serbs in Britain

Sir: Rupert Cornwell's analysis of the problems inherent in an assault on Serbia by Nato ground forces (9 April) leaves us with another alternative: to arm and, as necessary, train the KLA from bases in Albania.

They might not be ideal proteges, but if the air war by itself does not achieve its objective, this could be the least bad solution. We should remember that the defeat of the Bosnian Serbs in 1995 was brought about not by Nato air attacks alone, but by rearmed local forces, mainly Croatian.

In any case, the air war can be continued, but with the aim of supporting KLA operations in Kosovo, rather than laying waste more and more of Serbia's infrastructure. Of course, the end result would be independence for Kosovo, rather than just autonomy within Serbia; but the Rambouillet terms are surely obsolete now anyway.

MICHAEL LAIRD

Havant, Hampshire