Visiting moderate ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova on Friday said the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was an "extremist" organization. "I am the leader of the Albanians of Kosovo in exil; as such I enjoy the support of people in the camps currently in Macedonia and Albania," said Rugova in an interview with Channel 4 television.

But he added: "There is at the moment an extremist group who keeps criticizing me and that is regrettable," in a reference to the KLA.

Rugova earlier Friday held talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Robin Cook on the second leg of a European tour aimed at reclaiming the mantle of Kosovar leadership.

"My aim is to coordinate and to organise the political life of Kosovo because all the leaders are now outside Kosovo," he said after meeting Cook over breakfast.

Rugova, speaking through an interpreter, told reporters he had met some senior figures and was trying to trace others who hadArmy.

A spokesman for the KLA last week accused Rugova of acting as "an emissary" for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and denied that the moderate leader represented the ethnic Albanian people.

A spokesman for the British premier -- who met Rugova for 30 minutes of talks -- said that the ethnic Albanian leadership was "somewhat disparate".

"We have maintained strong links with Rugova but not to the exclusion of other elements," he adade.

Rugova said in London, from where he was due to fly to Paris Friday, he hoped to visit some of the Kosovan refugee camps in the region soon.

According to the UNHCR, more than 740,000 Kosovars have fled to neighbouring countries since March 24, the start of NATO bombing campaign on Yugoslavia.

Rugova, who is to set up temporary home in Germany, has already been received by leading European politicians, including Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.

He was also granted an audience by Pope John Paul II and held talks with Russian envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin in Bonn.