Several hours before the press conference on Monday Tony Blair's chief spokesman

Several hours before the press conference on Monday, Tony Blair's chief spokesman, Alastair Campbell, went to Brussels to give behind-the-scenes advice. Meanwhile, one of his deputies, Julian Braithwaite, has been seconded to Nato.But augmenting the press operation has provoked other tensions. Mr Shea is British and his daily briefing was normally accompanied by a military update from an RAF Air Commodore, David Wilby. With greater Downing Street involvement, Nato's press operation has had to battle accusations of an Anglo-Saxon takeover.

As a result, Air Commodore Wilby has taken a back seat to an Italian general, Giuseppe Marani, whose accent has caused consternation among US TV crews.Waging a real conflict is not as easy as conducting the Cold War for which the alliance was established 50 years ago. Accompanying the universal outrage at Mr Milosevic's tactics is a new respect for his toughness. What is needed, argued one source last week, is a thorough tightening of the operation, linking Nato's bureaucracy to Shape's line of command "to create a political and military structure that speaks with one voice". Only then will the most powerful alliance in history be an effective adversary for Belgrade.. ABritish company owned by a minister in the Serbian government and close ally of Slobodan Milosevic has gone into liquidation owing pounds 450,000 in taxes.

A second company, owned by his wife, has also gone bust, owing pounds 165,000 to the Inland Revenue. Inquiries by The Independent on Sunday have established that companies run by Bogoljub Karic, minister without portfolio in the Milosevic regime, and his family, have been closed down because of the impact of UN sanctions. But the family, dubbed the Rockefellers of Serbia because of its wealthy connections, continues to hold an impressive portfolio of properties in Britain, including "Wildwoods" a mansion set in expansive grounds in north London, and another three properties in the Enfield area. The family is said to use its London homes regularly and some of the children have been educated at public schools in London.The Karic clan, including Bogoljub and his wife Milanka, together with his brothers Zoran, Sretan, Dragomir and a sister Hafa Karic, set up their English operations in 1991.They were a natural extension to their business successes at home; Bogoljub Karic runs Serbia's biggest private business, Braca Karic - "the Karic Brothers".After the collapse of Communism, the family expanded its interests first to Ireland then Canada, where finally they obtained citizenship. Then in 1992, Bogoljub Karic bought, in his wife's name, the "Wildwoods" mansion, while brother Dragomir bought a luxury detached house in nearby Hadley Wood and brother Sretan a vast home set in 16 acres in Clay Hill, also in the same area.The 18th century mansion is protected by large security gates with a sign saying "Warning! Guard dogs on patrol". The Karic house, decorated in the Italianate white and gold style, has had many additions over the years. It now boasts a private cinema, indoor swimming pool, a fully fitted gym and a disco for the teenagers. There is an enormous chandelier which was imported from Austria and required a specialist to be flown in to assemble it.A neighbour in nearby Flash Lane, Enfield, said: "They keep to themselves.