Letter: Battles over Kosovo

Battles over Kosovo

Sir: It is only natural that deeply held and conflicting emotions and political judgements concerning the justice and/or effectiveness of Nato's intervention in the Balkans should be reflected within the Parliamentary Labour Party.

As a supporter of Nato's actions - which have to be constantly scrutinised and must minimise civilian casualties - I recognise the sincerity of Alice Mahon's initiative in engaging in dialogue with ordinary Yugoslav citizens. She refuses to deny the realities of ethnic cleansing by the Serb regime and cannot be classified as an appeaser.

I urge colleagues like Clare Short - with whom I agree on the intervention - to remember Rosa Luxemburg's injunction to the effect that the test of freedom of speech is the treatment of one's opponents.