``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.