The ceasefire in Macedonia is welcomed by all, especially those living near the areas in conflict. However, does the fact that NATO negotiated with a terrorist organisation – the UCK – set a dangerous precedent?
The ceasefire signed by the Macedonian government and the Albanian extremists is unlimited and immediate and entered in force at one minute past midnight yesterday morning. Under the agreement, NATO troops are to participate in the disarming of the Albanian extremists and there is to be a political settlement between Slavic and Albanian Macedonians over the Constitution.
As far as the disarmament is concerned, NATO uses a different approach to the Albanians to that adopted with the FR Yugoslavia. First, it held lengthy consultations with them, then allowed them to leave the battlefield at Aracinovo with their weapons, after they had been surrounded by the Macedonian army, now the delivery of their weapons is to be voluntary. One questions whether this would have been the case if they were Slavs. Obviously not – they would have been bombed upon, from a great height.
The NATO Balkans representative Pieter Feith reached an agreement with the Albanian political leader, Ali Ahmeti, and Macedonian police and army commanders. The Defence Minister, Vlado Buckovski, stated that there are to be extensive political consultations between the two groups.
Basically, the Albanians want an amendment to the Constitution, which stipulates that Albanian be elevated to the status of second official language in Macedonia. The authorities in Skopje declared that they will allow Albanian to be the co-official language in areas where there is a majority of Albanian residents, namely in the north and west of the country. There are fears that the Albanians will then start demanding more and more, as they did in Kosovo, pushing the authorities to exasperation point.
NATO forces are to enter northern Macedonia after the third week of July, in a mission programmed to take 30 days plus ten days for arrival and departure. However, NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson stated that NATO deployment would only take place in a scenario of a “long-lasting ceasefire” and a “viable political agreement”, maybe because ceasefires have been made and broken before.
As the Slavic and Albanian political parties in Skopje came together for the first time to agree on the amendment to the Constitution, all sides issued statements of encouragement. In the words of EU envoy to Skopje, Francois Leotard, “An important step was taken towards finding a peaceful, and not military, solution to the crisis”.
As another Balkans country appears to retreat from the brink of war, it is up to the international community now to foment trading links with these countries to strengthen their economies and create the conditions for them to participate fully towards building prosperity for themselves in a climate of long-lasting peace.
Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY
PRAVDA.Ru
LISBON PORTUGAL
Miroslav Antic,
http://www.antic.org/
