Yeltsin calls for an emergency meeting with the G-7 group RELATED VIDEO CNN's Mike Hanna visits the registration center in Ulcinj, Montenegro, on March 31 Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K To view the latest video streams on the strikes in Yugoslavia, use the arrow buttons below to scroll through the video gallery. Real Windows Media 28 K 80 K IMAGE GALLERY: In defense of hallowed ground: The Serbs and Kosovo  ALSO: Three U.S. soldiers captured by Yugoslav army Hour after hour, Kosovo refugees flow into neighboring countries Clinton urged to support ground troops in Kosovo Russian lawmakers call for military aid for Belgrade  MESSAGE BOARD Crisis in Kosovo

April 1, 1999
Web posted at: 8:40 a.m. EST (1340 GMT)

MOSCOW (CNN) -- Russian President Boris Yeltsin on Thursday called for an emergency meeting with the G-7 group of major industrialized nations to discuss the Kosovo crisis.

Speaking on Russian television, Yeltsin said he had authorized Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to contact the foreign ministers of the G-7 group "to work out ways to swiftly end the crisis" in Yugoslavia.

The G-7 groups the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and Japan. In recent years, Russia has joined those meetings for what became known as G-8 meetings, which included talks on a wide range of issues, such as economic and political cooperation as well as anti-crime and anti-drug trafficking measures.

Russia is a traditional ally of Balkan Serbs and has strongly condemned the NATO airstrikes against Serb military targets in Yugoslavia.

Moscow was involved in two rounds of international peace talks on Kosovo and earlier this week sent Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov to Belgrade in an attempt to mediate. But that mission failed.

"Despite Russia's resolute actions, NATO military action against Yugoslavia continues to escalate," Yeltsin said in his brief statement.

"Such an escalation threatens to lead to a grave disaster, and not only for Europeans. That mustn't be allowed," he added.

Six of the G-7 countries belong to NATO, while Japan is a close U.S. ally and has expressed support for the alliance's military operations in Yugoslavia.

Russia has stressed it will not become involved in the conflict militarily.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it was preparing for the deployment of seven warships to the Mediterranean for what Moscow said would be "exercises" in the region.

British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said Thursday he hoped that Russia would not do anything to escalate tension over the conflict in Yugoslavia, and welcomed cooperation between NATO and Russia on ending the Kosovo crisis.

That position was also stated Thursday by NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana.

"Russia has its heart divided between its Slav soul and its disgust for (Yugoslav President Slobodan) Milosevic's behavior," Solana told Spanish radio.

"Where we have differences right now is over the problem of tactically how to resolve the situation... I believe we will come to the same common strategy again in relation to the Balkans," Solana said.

The Vatican was also involved in mediation efforts Thursday, after Pope John Paul II urged the warring sides in Kosovo on Monday to stop the fighting and return to the negotiation table.

Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran met leading government members in Belgrade Thursday but made no statement about the content of the talks.

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