The Russians, for instance, would like a bombing pause first, before a troop withdrawal by Mr. Milosevic.

During the discussions in Moscow today, Russian officials also proposed a bombing pause to encourage diplomacy, but Mr. Talbott rejected the idea.

Perhaps, he said, the alliance would consider a bombing pause over Easter?

In May, a 6-day bombing pause occurs.

On Capitol Hill, some senators said this week that the increasing civilian deaths had prompted them to support a bombing pause.

The Afghan official's plea for a bombing pause was relayed tonight to Secretary Powell, Pakistani officials said.

But a Forsa poll in the weekly Die Woche found 69 percent of Germans favoring a bombing pause and only 28 percent against.

Phase II would be a bombing pause.

"There is no interest in a bombing pause," a Pentagon official said tonight.

Yet there seems to be little strategic room for an early bombing pause.