``We don't talk in terms of specific time lines but in terms of
end
states,'' Cohen told journalists during a Christmas visit to
the main
American base in southeast Kosovo.
The Americans are part of a 40,000-strong KFOR peacekeeping
force from 29 nations sent in after an 11-week NATO bombing
campaign to end Serb repression of ethnic Albanians. ''We hope
we can maintain a presence to bring in the institutions of
democracy,'' Cohen said.
He said he wanted to see the return of the tens of thousands of
Serbs who have fled Kosovo since the withdrawal of Serbian
forces, its occupation by NATO-led peacekeeping troops and
the return of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians six
months ago.
More than 100 Serbs have been murdered, and Serb churches
and homes have been destroyed in revenge attacks blamed on
ethnic Albanians who suffered years of repression from the
Serbs.
``The one thing we don't want to see is a reverse ethnic
cleansing,'' Cohen said. ``What we do not want to see is
revenge-seeking. We want Serbs to return here to live in peace
with the Albanians.''
Cohen said Washington supported the autonomy of Montenegro,
currently in a tense confrontation with its bigger partner in
the
Yugoslav federation, Serbia.
But he added: ``We do not support independence for
Montenegro.''
He said U.S. military bases worldwide were taking recent
warnings of possible anti-U.S. terrorist attacks seriously.
``We have put all of our forces on a general alert to make sure
they are safe and secure,'' he said. ``Generally we are just
being
much more cautious.''
Cohen, who is visiting U.S. servicemen and women based in
Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Italy this week, watched
American entertainers including the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
give Christmas performances to enthusiastic applause from the
troops.
``You are the face of America,'' he told the troops.