Give diplomacy a new chance in Kosovo, Greece says

Greece yesterday relayed to the the U.S. ambassador in Athens its view that there could be no military solution to the Kosovo crisis adding that talks should resume for the finding of a political solution.  Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Alternate Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis held separate meetings yesterday with US Ambassador Nicholas Burns and exchanged views on the Yugoslav crisis.  Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Burns held lengthy talks in the afternoon at the latter's request, while diplomatic sources disclosed that the US envoy underlined to the Greek foreign minister the US point of view that NATO should appear and act united regarding  the Alliance's strikes against Yugoslavia with the aim of convincing President Slobodan Milosevic to accept the proposed agreement on the strife-torn province of Kosovo.  The same sources stated that Mr. Papandreou reiterated to Mr. Burns the Greek government's stance that whatever military solution will create more problems than solve. The diplomatic sources added that Mr. Burns requested from the Greek side to keep its reactions low key, regarding US President Bill Clinton's statements that Greece and Turkey could be drawn into the Kosovo conflict if it worsened, while he reiterated that those statements were misinterpreted.  Mr. Kranidiotis, who met earlier in the day with Ambassador Burns, expressed the Greek government's wish to see an end to NATO strikes against Yugoslavia and give diplomacy a new chance.   Diplomatic sources said Greece was even considering using its veto if the offensive continued up to the third phase. Greece's permanent representative to NATO has been instructed to keep a close watch on developments.  Mr. Burns, who requested the meeting with Mr. Kranidiotis, reiterated the U.S. position that NATO's objective was to convince Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic to concede.  He also discussed the issue of coordination between the US and Greece in providing humanitarian assistance for any refugees.  According to diplomatic sources, Mr. Burns told the Greek minister that President Clinton's remarks about Greece and Turkey had been misinterpreted.   "Mr. Burns told Mr. Kranidiotis that President Clinton did not mean that there could be a war. He meant that the continuation of the Kosovo crisis could intensify and take on wider dimensions in the region but not with the meaning that there would be a military clash between Greece and Turkey," the sources said.  Mr. Kranidiotis, however, pointed out that such statements created a climate of insecurity.