Letters: Kosovo formula

Sir: Robert Fisk has claimed that in saying "Serbs out, Nato in, refugees back" I contributed to bestialising the Serbs and therefore to the current reprisals in Kosovo and the Serb exodus ("Was it rescue or revenge?", 21 June).

I totally refute that interpretation. Mr Fisk has followed the Kosovo crisis closely enough to know that my words were a simple distillation of the Nato and G8 demands that Milosevic withdraw his forces from Kosovo, allow in a Nato-led peace-keeping force and permit the return of the refugees.

I deplore all violence in Kosovo, from either side. At my MoD press conference on 21 June I emphasised the urgent need for K-For impartially to eradicate violence from Kosovo. I also appealed to the Serb population to stay in their homes and help build one Kosovo of different communities living alongside each other.

GEORGE ROBERTSON

Secretary of State

Ministry of Defence

London SW1