Leaders of a campaigning pressure group in Southend have backed growing calls to stop the bombing of Serbia.

Ron Montague, vice chairman of the United Nations Association Southend branch, said he felt the Nato air campaign had intensified the problem for Kosovan refuges.

He also urged everyone opposed to the air strikes to write to their MPs and take up the call for peace.

The Nato strategy was launched two weeks ago in a bid to stop ethnic cleansing.

Since then hundreds of thousands of refugees from Kosovo have fled their homeland into neighbouring Balkan countries.

Mr Montague, of Orchill Drive, Hadleigh, said: "The bombing has made things a darn sight worse for the refugees.

"The reaction of the military has obviously been inflamed. Instead of calming the situation the bombing has intensified the problem.

"One aspect that worries us is that the military action has been taken without sanction of the UN Security Council.

"This might sound a bit dogmatic but it sets a precedent for the future. The UN Security Council was set up specifically to deal with incidents of this sort.

"We know it's not likely to get an agreement in the security council but it has to be tried. It seems Nato was fearful of getting air strikes vetoed and so they just went ahead with it.

"We are inclined to feel that the Russians can provide an avenue for a peaceful outcome - or certainly a less violent one."

Mr Montague said the Southend branch had written to the MPs David Amess, Christine Butler, Dr Michael Clark and Sir Teddy Taylor.

He added: "We would urge everyone to write to their MPs about this."

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