SOLANA: DIPLOMACY HAS PRIORITY IN SOLVING OF KOSOVO CRISIS

( Editorial: --> 5149 ) SARAJEVO, July 2 (Hina)- NATO is continuing with preparations for possible actions aimed at resolving the Kosovo crisis, but at the moment, diplomatic efforts hold a priority position, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana said in Sarajevo on Thursday. What the international community wants in Kosovo at this moment is momentary cease-fire, the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from its positions and a continuation of negotiations as soon as possible, Solana told a news conference before leaving Sarajevo. He opened an information seminar in Sarajevo on the role of NATO in Bosnia-Herzegovina, after which he met members of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Solana confirmed that NATO continued with preparations and forming plans to support international diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Kosovo crisis. The international community will not tolerate another war such as the one in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Solana said. He stressed that he still held Ibrahim Rugova, president of the Democratic Union of Kosovo, a legitimate representative of Kosovo Albanians, but that this did not mean that other countries, if they thought it necessary, could not talks with other Albanian political leaders. Solana again dismissed the possibility of NATO using the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina for possible military operations in Kosovo, and stressed that nobody ever requested it. Solana left for Tirana in the afternoon to discuss Kosovo with Albanian government officials and to visit NATO's special department based in Albania in charge of following the Kosovo crisis. (hina) lml jn 021414 MET jul 98