Washington presses resolution to KFOR impasse

WASHINGTON, JUNE 15: Outmaneuvered by Russia whose small contingent of troops in Kosovo defiantly kept NATO forces at bay outside the Pristina airport Monday, the United States pressed efforts to break the deadlock without undermining the alliance8217;s command of the operation.

US President Bill Clinton spoke to his Russian counterpart, Boris Yeltsin, for the second time in less than 24 hours in what the White House described as a 8220;constructive8221; conversation.

And Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced she and Defence Secretary William Cohen would meet in Helsinki with their Russian counterparts in the next few days 8220;to work out the longer-term issues about the participation of Russians in KFOR,8221; she said.