Tuesday, April 6, 1999 Published at 21:42 GMT 22:42 UK
Serbian ceasefire rejected
A Kosovo Albanian family crosses the border into Albania on a tractor
A BBC correspondent in Belgrade said explosions could be heard coming from the outskirts of the city on Tuesday night after the ceasefire was due to come into effect.
Kosovo is reported to have come under heavy fire with raids on an arms depot and the airport. Several strong detonations have also been heard in Montenegro.
The ceasefire came in an official statement from the Serbian and Yugoslav governments, which said "all actions against the aggressive Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) will be unilaterally halted at 20:00 hours (18:00 GMT) in honour of the greatest Orthodox Christian holiday, Easter".
Reaction to Belgrade's offer was swift.
The UK Prime Minister Tony Blair called the truce plan "a diplomatic ploy" the West would "not fall for".
Nato's Secretary-General Javier Solana rejected the proposals as "insufficient."
Nato member states are demanding that a ceasefire be accompanied by a withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo, a return of refugees and a halt to the repression of ethnic Albanians in the province.
US Defence Secretary William Cohen said the Serb ceasefire idea was "not only completely unacceptable but absurd".
But Russia's President Boris Yeltsin said that he welcomed the initiative in principle.
Shortly after the ceasefire came into force, Serbian TV reported that all Yugoslav army units in Kosovo were complying with the order from Belgrade.
"Their insistence on such a position is evidence that arrogance takes precedence over common sense," said Mr Jovanovic.
It also promised that Belgrade would work for the return of about 400,000 ethnic Albanians who have fled Kosovo.
Heaviest bombing yet
Nato says clearer skies on Monday night allowed its forces to carry out the most intensive air attacks over Yugoslavia so far, and reports say bombing will intensify yet further.
Serbian media reported a strike on the southern mining town of Aleksinac had killed at least five people and injured another 30. Yugoslav officials said later that the figure had increased to at least 12 dead.
Television reports said about 10 buildings had been destroyed, as well as a centre for emergencies and a medical dispensary.
Air Commodore Wilby said an investigation was under way to establish what had happened.
Airlift under way
Some of those displaced by the turmoil in Kosovo have begun to be airlifted out of refugee camps to other countries which have promised to accept them on a temporary basis.
The first of those refugees were reported to be arriving in Turkey, which has promised shelter for 20,000 people escaping Serbian violence.