Letter: This is no way to protect Kosovars

Sir: With children slowly roasted to death on trains, the only result of the bombing is to add a third party (Nato) to those already committing atrocities in a brutal civil war between the Serbian government and KLA terrorists. Nato's apologies seem to be exact quotes from the words of the IRA, who should sue for copyright.

When a province is fought over, there are large civilian casualties and, ironically, the Serbs may have saved lives by expelling Kosovars if Nato sends in ground troops.

Serbia can "withdraw" its troops by telling them to take off their uniforms. Then, as experience in Northern Ireland has shown, infantry would be unable to protect the civilian population. The Kosovars would be crazy to return under ineffective Nato "protection".

The only solution is a Russian protectorate with no Nato participation whatsoever.

DEREK J COLE.

St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex