Moscow's special envoy on Kosovo, ex-premier Viktor Chernomyrdin, will soon propose major new steps on achieving a peaceful solution, said Ivanov, giving no details.

Ivanov, who represented Moscow at talks of the G-8 nations yesterday in Bonn, Germany, expressed disappointment that NATO had not agreed to end its attacks on Yugoslavia.

Had our partners accepted our proposal to halt the strikes, better conditions would've been created to adopt a decision,'' Ivanov told reporters during wreath-laying ceremonies to mark the end of World War II. ``You know that every hour brings newtragedies'' because of the air strikes, he added.

China acknowledged the G-8 agreement and called for Yugoslavia's Involvement in the process. ``We have taken note of the foreign ministers' meeting of the G-8 group (which) made an agreement in principle on the Kosovo issue,'' a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said by telephone.

``China persistently advocates a political resolution of the Kosovo issue. We think any plan to resolve this problem should not exclude Yugoslavia and should also respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia,'' she said.

China repeated its demand for an immediate halt to NATO air attacks against Yugoslavia to facilitate a political settlement on the Kosovo issue.

"China is in firm opposition to all forms of hegemonism and power politics. All peace-loving nations are extremely concerned about NATO's airstrikes against Yugoslavia," chief of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) general Fu Quanyou said. "General Fu called for an immediate halt to the airstrikesto put the Kosovo issue back on track towards a settlement by a political approach," official Xinhua news agency quoted a top PLA official as saying.

The chinese army chief made these remarks during a meeting with visiting bangladesh army chief muhammad mustafizur rahman, xinhua said.

Yesterday, chinese foreign ministry spokesman zhu bangzao said china has consistently maintained that yugoslavia'S Sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected and rights of all ethnic groups in kosovo, including the kosovars guaranteed.

He reiterated china'S Opposition to use of force against another sovereign country.

"It is impossible that domestic and ethnic problems of a country can be solved by external military interference," zhu said noting that although nato had been bombing yugoslavia for over a month now, it has not helped resolve the kosovo issue. In fact, it has only worsened the crises, he said.