Greece's vital co-operation as NATO's frontline state in the Balkans was underlined yesterday as Athens came under heavy pressure from Washington to tone down soaring popular opposition to the air strikes.
Flying into the capital, the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Strobe Talbott, stressed the need for Greece to maintain a unified front with the alliance, despite vehement criticism of its logistical support to the West from Hellenes, who are traditionally pro-Serb.
Yesterday, the US Pentagon announced that some 2,000 extra troops were on their way to Salonika to help forces in Macedonia with refugee relief efforts. The strategic northern Greek city's warm-water port has been used as the main landing stage for troops and equipment en route to the former Yugoslav republic since January.
Officials said the soldiers were being deployed for purely "humanitarian reasons" and may even enter Kosovo in such a capacity.
"Skopje [Macedonia] has told NATO it will not accept being used as a launching pad for troops invading Kosovo . . . therefore any forces coming through Salonika will be sent purely for humanitarian reasons," said the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou. "NATO can use Salonika to transfer as many troops as it wants for humanitarian reasons."
But there was a growing belief yesterday that the forces would take up arms if NATO decided to send ground troops into the Serbian province. Such an operation could require up to 300,000 transiting through Greece - a spectre that would almost certainly infuriate Hellenes.
Outraged by the bombing of their Orthodox brethren, Greeks have stepped up often violent anti-war protests across the country. More than 100 Greek mercenaries have already volunteered to fight alongside the Serbs in the event of a ground war.
In a bid to appease local opposition, the Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, took the unusual step of addressing the nation last night to explain his government's difficult balancing act as a loyal NATO ally in the Balkans.
"We must put our interests first," he said. "Greece is a friend of the Serbs; but it is also the only Western country in the Balkans."
While increasing its criticism of the Serb's continued ethnic cleansing of Kosovo yesterday, Athens said it would also intensify efforts to send humanitarian aid to Belgrade - as well as significant amounts to refugees in Albania and Macedonia.
"Yugoslavia is beginning to have problems with food, water and pharmaceuticals," Mr Papandreou said. "Greece will be sending the first batch of aid to Yugoslavia this week in the run up to Orthodox Easter."
During talks with the Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Papandreou said he had asked that NATO suspend its military campaign against Serbia over Orthodox Easter this weekend. A similar request by Greece over the Catholic Easter last weekend was turned down.
"The holidays could be used as a possibility for political dialogue . . . such a move would respect the sensitivities of the Serbs because of the strong symbolism of Orthodox Easter," the Greek Foreign Minister said.