Wednesday July 25 11:01 AM ET
Thousands Flee in Macedonia
By ALEKSANDAR VASOVIC, Associated Press Writer
TETOVO, Macedonia (AP) - The government gave ethnic Albanian rebels an
ultimatum to pull back from around the country's second-largest city or
face a new army offensive, as thousands of Macedonians streamed out of
the city in packed cars and buses.
NATO (news - web sites) Secretary-General Lord Robertson called the
situation ``critical'' and said he and the European Union (news - web
sites)'s foreign policy chief would fly to Macedonia on Thursday for
urgent mediation to prevent a descent into full-scale civil war.
More than 8,000 people fled the area of the northern city of Tetovo in
the past 24 hours, the government said, most heading for the capital
Skopje after fierce fighting Sunday and Monday shattered a fragile
cease-fire.
The exodus widened after Macedonia's defense minister and interior
minister on Wednesday warned that military action was possible if the
insurgents didn't retreat.
``Unless the rebels pull out to their previous positions ... we will no
longer listen to suggestions from any Western mediator, and an offensive
is not excluded as an option,'' the ministers said in a statement.
In Brussels, Belgium, Robertson urged restraint. ``Any efforts to
resolve the situation militarily can only result in the wreckage of the
country and the inflicting of grave civilian casualties,'' he said.
Overnight, mobs of Macedonians rampaged against foreign embassies in
Skopje, accusing NATO of supporting the guerrillas. Protesters threw
stones at the U.S. Embassy late Tuesday, smashed entrances of the
British and German embassies and burned several U.N. and other cars.
The clashes around Tetovo were the worst in months and dimmed hopes that
peace talks that collapsed last month could be revived. Those fleeing
the city largely were ethnic Macedonians - who form a majority in the
country but a minority in Tetovo.
One lifelong resident, Milina Stavreva, packed to leave Wednesday,
vowing never to return. ``Enough is enough,'' said Stavreva, 60. ``We
can no longer live here.''
The militants launched their insurgency in February, saying they were
fighting for greater rights for minority ethnic Albanians, who account
for up to a third of Macedonia's 2 million people. The government
alleges the rebels are linked to militants in neighboring Kosovo and
accuses them of trying to carve out territory from Macedonia.
``It makes no sense to continue the talks as long as the rebels are
violating the cease-fire,'' government spokesman Antonio Milososki told
The Associated Press. ``If they don't return to their previous
positions, we will force them to do so.''
Britain's Foreign Office advised against all travel to Macedonia, and
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer strongly criticized the
Macedonian government for stirring up anti-Western sentiment.
Fischer said government statements helped create ``a violent domestic
climate'' and led to the embassy attacks.
On Tuesday, Milososki accused Western mediators of coordinating their
efforts with the rebels and called NATO ``a big friend of our enemies.''
On Wednesday, the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo said it had
detained more than 60 suspected rebels from Macedonia, seizing weapons
and ammunition after intercepting three separate mule trains along the
rugged border.
Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski and Interior Minister Ljube Boskoski
gave the rebels until noon Wednesday to pull back to their previous
positions in Tetovo. That deadline passed with no sign of an offensive.
Ministry spokesman Marjan Gjurovski said army barracks and positions
near Tetovo's soccer stadium came under fire until 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Tetovo's hospital said five wounded were brought in overnight, and that
they included civilians and military personnel.
Several police checkpoints around the city were taken by rebels, media
reported.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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http://www.antic.org/
