Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- Handelsblatt August 8, 2001 "Germany should not only take political responsibility in Europe but also military responsibility." Léotard Urges Germany to Send Troops to Macedonia HB/jrr BRUSSELS. The European Union's envoy to Macedonia on Wednesday urged German politicians not to block the participation of its soldiers in a Nato peace mission to the former Yugoslav republic. François Léotard, a former French Defense Minister, told Handelsblatt: "It would be good if German soldiers took part in the planned Nato operation in Macedonia. Germany should not only take political responsibility in Europe but also military responsibility." Nato has agreed to send a force of peacekeepers to Macedonia once a peace agreement has been reached. Léotard said that the force, which will have the job of disarming the Albanian rebels, will be able to start its operation within around 15 days of the signing of the peace treaty. The German lower house, the Bundestag, still has to approve the participation of 500 German soldiers in the 3,000-strong Nato force. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder believes that the Bundestag, with its majority from the ruling Social Democrat/Greens coalition will approve the sending of German troops to Macedonia, despite a revolt against the measure by around 28 parliamentarians from the SPD, who look set to be joined by up to seven parliamentarians from the Greens. The rebels' objection is based on NATO's intervention in the 1999 conflict in the autonomous Yugoslav province of Kosovo, which borders Macedonia. "The Western alliance is not suited to serving as a mediator for peace in Macedonia, since it supported the (ethnic Albanian) Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the Kosovo conflict, and it did not demand its disarmament," according to SPD parliamentarian Harald Friese, who initiated the rebellion. Negotiations at Macedonia's Lake Ohrid on Wednesday culminated in an agreement by the country's warring parties to sign a peace treaty. The peace talks were dealt a serious blow shortly before the agreement was reached. The biggest party in Macedonia's ruling government, the VMRO, temporarily suspended its participation in the talks after ethnic Albanian rebels attacked an army convoy 15 kilometers outside the capital, Skopje – killing 10 Macedonian soldiers. But the VMRO returned to the negotiating table and a draft deal was signed. Léotard subsequently announced that the various political parties involved in the talks would formally sign a peace treaty on Monday 13 August in Skopje. HANDELSBLATT, Mittwoch, 08. August 2001 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
