MILOSEVIC backs down, Serbia's parliament votes for peace, Belgrade agrees to all NATO's demands - victory and vindication for the allies' air war. On paper. For this peace to be real and complete, there has yet to be the fulfilment of the war's essential - and always right and proper - aim.

That is for the Kosovar Albanians to live safely and peacefully in their own homes.

At present, hundreds of thousands of them are scattered far and wide.

The biggest test and task of this peace deal is for them to want and to be able to return.

After 11 weeks of air war against Yugoslavia, Milosevic has given in to the wrath he brought down on his people by his aggression and evil ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

But as shown by his record - stretching from Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia to Kosovo - for all his past chastening, he is perfectly capable of repeating this behaviour.

He is a liar, a cheat and a murderer and is not to be trusted.

NATO is quite right is keeping up the air offensive until there are clear and positive signs that the Serb forces in Kosovo have pulled out and show they are willing to stay out as the UN-led security presence takes over. But, however much this departure may pave the way for the refugees' return, will not that taking place be hindered and their lasting security be ever in doubt and in need of constant and costly protection by the international community as long as Milosevic and his resilient criminality remain in power in Yugoslavia?

If, above all, this war was to end what he personified, can it have been won if he has not been brought down?

The failure of the West to topple Iraq's Saddam Hussein - and its consequences of his repeated aggression - speaks all too clearly of the error of not finishing the job.

Perhaps, then, this must be the end strategy as the UN-led initiative, with NATO at its core, embarks on the logistics of the awesome and difficult task it faces - not least of which is putting itself between a Kosovo Liberation Army more likely to be bent on revenge than disarming as required by this peace deal and Serb forces who may renege on it.

Certainly, the aftermath of the air war is a huge reconstruction bill for the victors.

Strict terms should be attached to this aid which would provide that the aims of promoting true democracy, prosperity and stability in the troublesome Balkans are realised - and, surely, a prime condition must be spelled out to devastated Yugoslavia: that not one jot of aid comes to them while Milosevic remains in charge and evades being put in the dock for war crimes.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.