London -- British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook says President Milosevic gambled the future of Serbia, "believing that NATO would back down. He was wrong."

During a second message to the Serb people, Cook said that "As Milosevic gets weaker, NATO gets stronger. Every passing day brings more NATO planes into action. This week U.S. Apache attack helicopters will come into action for the first time."

Cook said that during the NATO Summit in Washington, the leaders of the seven states that border Yugoslavia shared NATO's "outrage at the atrocities Milosevic has ordered in Kosovo, and our determination to see the ethnic cleansing reversed." Cook said they support NATO. "NATO has told them that if Milosevic attacks them, they will not be alone."

"Milosevic does not have to choose war," the Foreign Secretary said. "He could end the conflict today if he wants to. He knows what he has to do. Call a cease-fire. Withdraw his troops and security forces from Kosovo. Let the refugees go home and let the world help them rebuild their lives. Let an international military force give them the confidence they need. And get serious about a long-term peaceful settlement, based on the Rambouillet Accord. If Serbia chooses the path of peace, then the bombing can cease immediately."

Following is the UK text:

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A SECOND MESSAGE TO THE SERB PEOPLE FROM ROBIN COOK, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY LONDON, TUESDAY 27 APRIL 1999

It is now a month since the NATO campaign started. None of the nineteen Allies wanted the conflict. But a month on, I must tell you that our unity - from London to Washington and Athens to Rome - has not wavered. President Milosevic gambled the future of your country, believing that NATO would back down. He was wrong.

Last weekend NATO's leaders met in Washington. There wasn't the slightest difference between us on the key point - military action will continue until President Milosevic meets our conditions.

It isn't just NATO that is united against Milosevic. In Washington we were joined by the leaders of the seven states that border Yugoslavia. They share our outrage at the atrocities Milosevic has ordered in Kosovo, and our determination to see the ethnic cleansing reversed. They support NATO. NATO has told them that if Milosevic attacks them, they will not be alone.

President Milosevic now faces a simple choice.

He can continue to fight. But he knows that time is on NATO's side. Every day of this conflict weakens his war machine still further. The men doing the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo no longer have cover from the air. They are running low on fuel. Their morale is crumbling. Russia is fast losing patience with Milosevic. No wonder than more than half of the Serbs who got call-up papers didn't even bother responding!

As Milosevic gets weaker, NATO gets stronger. Every passing day brings more NATO planes into action. This week US Apache attack helicopters will come into action for the first time.

But Milosevic does not have to choose war. He could end the conflict today if he wants to. He knows what he has to do. Call a cease-fire. Withdraw his troops and security forces from Kosovo. Let the refugees go home and let the world help them rebuild their lives. Let an international military force give them the confidence they need. And get serious about a long-term peaceful settlement, based on the Rambouillet Accord. If Serbia chooses the path of peace, then the bombing can cease immediately. This was a conflict that we never wanted, with a people we have always been proud to count as friends. We would like nothing more than to bring Serbia into the family of modern Europe. We want to bring Serbia into our organisations, help Serbia re-build, restore the Serbian economy to the health it was in before Milosevic took over.

The modern Europe is a Europe built on the rule of law, on freedom and on respect for human rights. It is a Europe built on the knowledge that ethnic and religious diversity is not a weakness but a strength. It is a Europe of peace and prosperity in which Serbia has a place.

But we cannot embrace Serbia in that modern Europe so long as your Government pursues policies that are based on a doctrine of ethnic purity and superiority that the rest of Europe rejected half a century ago.

Serbia is ringed by countries all of whom are now deepening their links with the modern Europe. All of those countries enjoy the perspective of broadening political freedom and real economic progress. The contrast with Serbia could not be clearer.

We want peace and friendship with Serbia. All that is required is for the Serb people to embrace the values of freedom and equality for all people - regardless of their ethnic identity.