Major vows forces are not being sent to fight a war

John Major yesterday underpinned a decision to deploy the 5,000-strong 24 Airmobile Brigade to Bosnia with an assurance that "British troops are not there to fight a war", writes Donald Macintyre. The Prime Minister said the brigade would be dispatched as soon as deployment details are finalised with the UN. Mr Major told the Welsh Tory conference in Llangollen: "It is possible the warring parties might make their job impossible. And if they do we might be forced to withdraw those troops."

In New York the UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, recommended accepting an offer by Britain, France and the Netherlands of a rapid reaction force for the UN in Bosnia - increasing troop numbers by up to 12,500.