War in the Balkans: Briefing, Day 63

t The International Committee of the Red Cross said it has returned to Kosovo to set up a permanent base. Its first convoy of food and medical supplies in nearly two months arrived in Pristina yesterday afternoon. The neutral ICRC has received security guarantees from Yugoslav and Nato officials.

t The media watchdog Reporters without Borders yesterday accused Belgrade of strangling its independent media, threatening the Montenegrin press and manhandling many foreign reporters covering the crisis. The group also called on Belgrade and the UN to investigate alleged torture of journalists

t The Albanian foreign ministry yesterday said the moderate ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova and rebel leader Hashim Thaci are to hold talks sponsored by the Albanian government, in an effort to unify the political factors in Kosovo. They are to discuss the creation of a national security council for Kosovo - a kind of interim government.

t The Danish government yesterday announced plans to send two Royal Danish Navy ships to join Nato's blockade of Yugoslavia. Denmark's parliament is expected to approve the proposal this week.

t The Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov is due in Stockholm today for talks on the crisis with the UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.