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NATO Chief Praises Macedonian Restraint
Monday March 26 7:24 PM EST
SKOPJE (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson praised Macedonia for what he said was commendable restraint in the weekend assault to flush out ethnic Albanian rebels in the hills above the town of Tetovo.
But Secretary of State Colin Powell cautioned in Washington that the battle was not "anywhere near over," although Macedonian forces had made some progress against ethnic Albanian extremists.
Robertson and European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Solana held two hours of talks with the Macedonian leadership, including President Boris Trajkovski, in the capital Skopje late Monday.
Macedonian government officials earlier said rebel-held villages and all key positions had been captured in Sunday‘s ground offensive carried out by tanks, artillery and infantry.
Macedonia‘s flag flew over the ancient Ottoman fortress above Tetovo, the most visible sign of the government‘s grip on the hills 24 hours after a military operation to push out rebels who say they fight to improve the rights of local Albanians.
But tensions throughout northern Macedonia remained high and sporadic shelling could be heard in the mountains beyond Tetovo, Macedonia‘s unofficial ethnic Albanian capital. Two policemen were shot and wounded when their patrol van was machine gunned on a road between Skopje and the border with the Yugoslav province of Kosovo.
DIPLOMATS SEE DISMAY AMONG NATO ALLIES
Diplomatic sources earlier said there was "considerable dismay" among NATO allies at Macedonia‘s decision to send the army into the Tetovo hinterland.
NATO allies had feared that Macedonia‘s precarious ethnic balance could be shattered by a Kosovo-style offensive steam-rollering through Albanian communities.
But Robertson said Macedonia had shown commendable restraint and urged the government to intensify inter-ethnic dialogue.
"I want to be blunt: there are two options for the people of this country -- it is a united Macedonia or another Balkan bloodbath," Robertson said, referring to the violent collapse of old socialist Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
"I strongly commend the government of this country for the firm but restrained way they have reacted to the provocations of the last few weeks," he said. "Terrorism is not going to prosper."
The rebels say they are fighting to improve the rights of Macedonia‘s large ethnic Albanian minority, many of whom feel they are treated as second-class citizens.
Skopje denounces them as terrorists who it says come from ethnic Albanian dominated Kosovo and seek to join the U.N.-ruled Yugoslav province to create a Greater Albania.
Trajkovski said the army offensive was launched to protect Macedonia‘s territorial integrity and "to avoid losing control over inter-ethnic relations and to avoid Macedonia and the international community becoming hostages of these groups."
Western powers favor a two-pronged approach to the conflict -- a proportionate military response coupled with measures to address Albanian grievances.
Robertson said Macedonian forces had taken the physical high ground, adding: "The opportunity is now there to take a political high ground."
In Washington, Powell said Macedonian forces "have launched an attack and it seems they have had some success getting part way up that hill."
But, he added, "I don‘t think the battle is anywhere near over or that the crisis is yet resolved."
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said British and Swedish soldiers serving in the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo would form a 400-strong unit for quick deployment along the province‘s border with Macedonia.
KFOR soldiers are patrolling the Kosovo-Macedonian border in a bid to stop rebels and arms crossing over.
Monday March 26 7:24 PM EST
SKOPJE (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson praised Macedonia for what he said was commendable restraint in the weekend assault to flush out ethnic Albanian rebels in the hills above the town of Tetovo.
But Secretary of State Colin Powell cautioned in Washington that the battle was not "anywhere near over," although Macedonian forces had made some progress against ethnic Albanian extremists.
Robertson and European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Solana held two hours of talks with the Macedonian leadership, including President Boris Trajkovski, in the capital Skopje late Monday.
Macedonian government officials earlier said rebel-held villages and all key positions had been captured in Sunday‘s ground offensive carried out by tanks, artillery and infantry.
Macedonia‘s flag flew over the ancient Ottoman fortress above Tetovo, the most visible sign of the government‘s grip on the hills 24 hours after a military operation to push out rebels who say they fight to improve the rights of local Albanians.
But tensions throughout northern Macedonia remained high and sporadic shelling could be heard in the mountains beyond Tetovo, Macedonia‘s unofficial ethnic Albanian capital. Two policemen were shot and wounded when their patrol van was machine gunned on a road between Skopje and the border with the Yugoslav province of Kosovo.
DIPLOMATS SEE DISMAY AMONG NATO ALLIES
Diplomatic sources earlier said there was "considerable dismay" among NATO allies at Macedonia‘s decision to send the army into the Tetovo hinterland.
NATO allies had feared that Macedonia‘s precarious ethnic balance could be shattered by a Kosovo-style offensive steam-rollering through Albanian communities.
But Robertson said Macedonia had shown commendable restraint and urged the government to intensify inter-ethnic dialogue.
"I want to be blunt: there are two options for the people of this country -- it is a united Macedonia or another Balkan bloodbath," Robertson said, referring to the violent collapse of old socialist Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
"I strongly commend the government of this country for the firm but restrained way they have reacted to the provocations of the last few weeks," he said. "Terrorism is not going to prosper."
The rebels say they are fighting to improve the rights of Macedonia‘s large ethnic Albanian minority, many of whom feel they are treated as second-class citizens.
Skopje denounces them as terrorists who it says come from ethnic Albanian dominated Kosovo and seek to join the U.N.-ruled Yugoslav province to create a Greater Albania.
Trajkovski said the army offensive was launched to protect Macedonia‘s territorial integrity and "to avoid losing control over inter-ethnic relations and to avoid Macedonia and the international community becoming hostages of these groups."
Western powers favor a two-pronged approach to the conflict -- a proportionate military response coupled with measures to address Albanian grievances.
Robertson said Macedonian forces had taken the physical high ground, adding: "The opportunity is now there to take a political high ground."
In Washington, Powell said Macedonian forces "have launched an attack and it seems they have had some success getting part way up that hill."
But, he added, "I don‘t think the battle is anywhere near over or that the crisis is yet resolved."
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said British and Swedish soldiers serving in the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo would form a 400-strong unit for quick deployment along the province‘s border with Macedonia.
KFOR soldiers are patrolling the Kosovo-Macedonian border in a bid to stop rebels and arms crossing over.