----- Original Message ----- From: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2001 12:11 PM Subject: New Spark In Balkans: FYROM [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK http://www.ekathimerini.com/news/content.asp?id=72756 Kathimerini ATHENS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2001 New spark in Balkans FYROM president warns of instability, firefight breaks out on Kosovo border Three days after hosting a summit of the leaders of Balkan nations, which ended with a demand for an end to the violence in the region, the president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia yesterday warned that the actions of Albanian separatists were threatening his country's and the region's stability. A firefight between what appeared to be ethnic Albanian separatists and FYROM police heightened fears of a spillover of the violence. President Boris Trajkovski said that the presence of "armed, informed members of illegal groups" along the Kosovo border "could cause serious incidents and jeopardize Macedonia's stability." He said FYROM's armed forces have taken measures to prevent any major conflict. In Brussels, the 15 EU foreign ministers expressed concern and agreed to double the number of EU monitors in southern Serbia's Presevo Valley to 30. They named Irish diplomat Antoin Mac Unfraidh to head the team in the region where Albanian extremists are active. "The Council expressed its concern at the level of tension and violence in Southeast Serbia and condemned actions by ethnic Albanian armed groups," the ministers said in a concluding statement. "(It) reiterated its strong attachment to the principle of the inviolability of all borders in the region. It called on all those involved to isolate extremists, to promote reconciliation and multi-ethnic cooperation." The ministers also condemned fresh attacks on Serbs in Kosovo and urged moderate ethnic Albanian community leaders to distance themselves from the attacks. The Balkans, along with the Middle East, are set to dominate the agenda of NATO foreign ministers when they meet new US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Brussels today. Diplomats said NATO was preparing to hand back control of a slice of territory around Kosovo to Belgrade in a gesture of confidence in Yugoslavia's new democratic leadership. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, whose country is the only EU member in the Balkans, briefed his colleagues in Brussels on last week's Skopje summit. He said that the signing of a declaration of good neighborliness was the first agreement for the combating of practical problems in the region, such as those of energy and crime. This was "a hopeful sign" for the easing of tension, he said. He also proposed that Serb forces be allowed in the buffer zone between Kosovo and the rest of Serbia, along with European observers. On the western side of Kosovo, on the border with FYROM, however, what appeared to be ethnic Albanian insurgents yesterday opened fire on police in FYROM. The firefight occurred in the village of Tanusevci. No injuries were reported. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
