LONDON The six-nation Contact Group, except Russia, has decided to slap an embargo on investments in Yugoslavia in response to the crackdown in the province of Kosovo, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said Saturday. It completes a series of measures to isolate the federal regime in Yugoslavia, he said. The Contact Group on conflicts in the former Yugoslavia comprises Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States. The ministers decided the tougher sanctions during a meeting in London of the group of eight industrial powers, which also includes Canada and Japan. Their meeting was to prepare the ground for the G8 Summit of the world's leading industrialized nations which takes place in Birmingham, central England, next week.

Canada approved the decision but Russia, a traditional ally of the Yugoslav government which is dominated by Serbia and embroiled in an increasingly violent crackdown in the ethnic-Albanian province of Kosovo, expressed reservations. Japan said it would consider its international obligations before taking a decision, Cook said. Cook said the Contact Group expressed its deep concern about the situation in Kosovo, dominated by ethnic Albanians, and was sharply critical of Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic. At their last meeting in Rome on April 29, the Contact Group voted to freeze Yugoslav and Serbian funds and warned they would block foreign investment if there was no meaningful progress in opening a dialogue with the Albanians in Kosovo. We are anxious that Belgrade should be pressed into meeting former Spanish Premier Felipe Gonzalez, said Cook. Gonzalez is heading a conference for security and cooperation in europe mission to mediate in the crisis.

(AFP)