Spain's prime minister applauded NATO efforts in Kosovo last night, telling an overflowing crowd at the ARCO Forum that military action is the only way to end ethnic cleansing in the Balkans.

Jose Maria Aznar Lopez also took the speaking opportunity to tout a "new Spain" that is emerging as a world economic force.

Through an interpreter, Aznar--fresh from a NATO conference in Washington--spoke of the Western alliance's importance to the security of Europe. Spain, a NATO member, fully backs the operation in Yugoslavia, Aznar said.

"NATO must be on watch for any crisis in the world," he said. "I support the attacks. Ethnic cleansing, genocide and incompatible coexistence cannot be the rules we live by."

Aznar said the regime of Yugoslavia President Slobodan Milosevic is isolated politically, and the NATO allies are united.

"Cohesion in the alliance is total," he said. "There are no cracks. There are no divisions."

According to Aznar, Serbian troops must be dislodged from Kosovo in order to halt the killing. He said international peacekeeping forces are necessary to shepherd ethnic Albanian refugees back to their homes.

Military force is the only way Serbia will comply with these demands, Aznar said.

"Milosevic will only accept these when he has no choice," he said. "And we must be a success in Kosovo."