SENATOR CALLS FOR ULTIMATUM TO END WAR IN YUGOSLAVIA

Sen. Richard Lugar on Wednesday called on President Bush to apply the lessons of Operation Desert Storm to the strife in Yugoslavia, saying only a credible threat of international military force can end the vicious ethnic fighting.

"There has to be a credible threat of the use of force to get a cease fire that sticks," the Indiana Republican told reporters.

Senator Lugar said the United States, United Nations, and NATO should authorize the use of force. The world should then confront the warring factions with an ultimatum: stop fighting or face crushing military consequences.

"The time for drawing the line has come," said Lugar, a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

The panel was scheduled on Thursday to vote on a resolution offered by Sen. Carl Levin (D) of Michigan, urging President Bush to seek UN action on "such intervention as may be necessary" to enforce cease-fire resolutions.