----- Original Message ----- From: Serbian News Network <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: BALKAN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; SIEM NEWS <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: NATO <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 3:08 PM Subject: Nato refuses to intervene in Macedonian conflict [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Build a marketing database and send targeted HTML and text e-mail newsletters to your customers with List Builder. http://www.listbuilder.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Nato refuses to intervene in Macedonian conflict Staff and agencies Thursday March 15, 2001 Police and ethnic Albanian guerrillas clashed outside Macedonia's second-largest city for the second day running as news came that Nato has refused to intervene in the conflict. The Macedonian government today tried to curtail an insurgency that has spread from the countryside towards the city of Tetovo. Police reported sporadic clashes with the Albanian rebels on the slopes of Mount Sar Planina, just north of the city. Machine gun and mortar fire could be heard from three villages throughout the morning. There were no reports of casualties. There were long lines at petrol stations in Tetovo - with a population of around 80,000 - as the mostly Slavic residents began to flee the predominantly ethnic Albanian town. Shops remained closed today and most residents stayed indoors. Southern Serbia remained edgy but calm early today, a day after Yugoslav troops moved into an area held by ethnic Albanian insurgents. The Nato-brokered ceasefire between the rebels and Belgrade appeared to be holding. Nato declared today that it stands "shoulder-to-shoulder" with Macedonia's government but made clear that it will not send combat troops to help fight ethnic Albanian rebels. A Nato official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said fighting in the southern Balkan country was a domestic issue and that the alliance does not consider this a foreign invasion, despite claims the insurgents are operating out of Kosovo. Kosovo has been under Nato and UN control since June 1999, when the alliance forced Yugoslav police and troops out of the province following a 78-day bombing campaign. Nato maintains logistical troops in Macedonia to support the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. "Nato believes the government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has the situation in hand," the official added. Nato allowed the Yugoslav troops to deploy forces in the 25-square-kilometre (10-square-mile) area near the boundaries with Kosovo and Macedonia. This was done to stem the guerrillas' uprising and to prevent the movement of weapons and fighters into Macedonia. Nevertheless, this successful deployment was overshadowed by the fighting in Macedonia. Police spokesman Stevo Pendarovski said that yesterday's clashes began when around 15 rebels opened fire on police in Kale, a suburb of Tetovo a mile north of the town's centre, and in the nearby village of Selce. "The situation is exceptionally serious," Mr Pendarovski said. One person was killed yesterday according to prime minister Ljubco Georgievski. Raim Thaci, director of the Tetovo hospital, said at least 14 people were wounded, including 11 policemen. Mr Georgievski said that today the authorities would discuss the introduction of a nationwide state of emergency, due to the deteriorating security situation. This measure would mean sealing off Macedonia's borders, beginning a general army and police mobilisation, implementing a partial curfew and introducing a ban on public gatherings and movements of larger groups of people. Ethnic Albanians account for at least a quarter of Macedonia's 2m people, dominating western regions of the country and a large section of the capital, Skopje. Until yesterday rebel activity had been limited to villages on the northern border with the Serb province of Kosovo. Government troops had hoped to keep the fighting away from urban areas. Related articles http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,452334,00.html Miroslav Antic, http://www.antic.org/SNN/ ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
