German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and President Boris Yeltsin aired differences over NATO's airstrikes on the Bosnian Serbs in weekend talks but agreed that only negotiations can settle the war in former Yugoslavia, the two leaders said.


Their comments came at the end of Chancellor Kohl's 24-hour working visit to Yeltsin's summer residence north of Moscow. "Our opinions on the air raids did not coincide," Kohl told reporters at Vnukovo 2 airport before flying home Sunday night. But Kohl said he "absolutely agreed" with the Russian president that the Bosnian conflict can only be resolved at a bargaining table.


Yeltsin, who according to his press service renewed his opposition to the NATO bombings in the meeting, downplayed those differences in an interview with Russian Public Television aired Sunday night. He said their positions on former Yugoslavia were "close enough."


Kohl said he had agreed to return in January or February on an official visit.