STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Get a low APR NextCard Visa in 30 seconds! 1. Fill in the brief application 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds 3. Get rates as low as 2.99% Intro or 9.99% Ongoing APR and no annual fee! Apply NOW! http://www.bcentral.com/listbot/NextCard ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Skopje believes the NLA is masterminded by former freedom fighters [sic] from the disbanded [double sic] Kosovo Liberation Army, trying to capitalise on their success in embroiling NATO in their 1998-1999 war against Belgrade.... Albanians On Skopje's Doorstep DAWN (Pakistan) 10 June 2001 Sunday 17 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1422 ARACINOVO (Macedonia), June 9: Hundreds of ethnic Albanian gunmen dug into a strategic suburb of Skopje on Saturday, as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana announced cross-party support for a peace plan proposed by President Boris Trajkovski. But even as ethnic Albanian and Macedonian Slav leaders backed a plan to break the military and political deadlock, the army and rebels clashed hard in guerilla-controlled villages in hills to the north of capital. The appearance of the self-proclaimed National Liberation Army (NLA) in the mainly Albanian Skopje suburb of Aracinovo puts the capital within mortar range of the rebels for the first time in the conflict, which has brought the southern Balkan state to the edge of all-out civil war. Defence Minister Ljube Boskovski said there were around 800 NLA guerillas in Aracinovo. Locals reported hearing shots in the area, although special police made no move into the area. But for the first time security forces set up a checkpoint on the very outskirts of the capital to block a possible rebel advance down the few kilometres of road dividing Aracinovo from Skopje. Interior ministry spokesman Stevo Pendarovski said that up to 3,000 of Aracinovo residents, both Macedonian Slavs and ethnic Albanians, had fled their town, heading either for neighbouring Kosovo or other Macedonian cities. The rebel leader of the town, Commander Hoxha, said his men had taken control of the Albanian quarter to protect the citizens after security forces lobbed mortar shells close to the settlement. "We are here to defend our people," said Hoxha late Friday, surrounded by uniformed guerrillas carrying assault rifles, 40mm grenade launchers and sniper rifles. Hoxha said his men were capable of moving on Skopje if they wanted to. While the NLA presence in Aracinovo sparked concern but no immediate military response, the army renewed its offensive around villages in the Black Mountains which have been in rebel hands for more than a month. "We are tightening the noose around Slupcane and Ozirare," said army spokesman Colonel Blagoja Markovski, adding that a dawn tank and artillery bombardment had met with rebel fire from machineguns, rocket launchers and sniper rifles. The two villages lie on either side of the rebel stronghold of Lipkovo, where two large lakes supply the water to the city of Kumanovo on the plain below, whose 100,000 residents have been without running water for four days. The rebels, who say they are fighting for equal rights with the Slav majority and official recognition of the Albanian language, have vowed to fight on until the government opens talks with them. Solana, a frequent visitor to Skopje, said after his meetings with Trajkovski and leaders of the parties in the emergency coalition put together last month that all the groups backed his plan. Arben Xhaferi, head of the influential Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA), however criticised the plan for being too vague, while welcoming the renewed cross-party dialogue. Trajkovski's peace plan includes a ceasefire, gradual demilitarisation of combat zone, an amnesty for Macedonian nationals who lay down their arms and confidence-building measures involving international organisations. He vowed that the guerrilla leaders would be "eliminated" though. Skopje believes the NLA is masterminded by former fighters from the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army trying to capitalise on their success in embroiling NATO in their 1998-99 war against Belgrade which won the Serbian province the status of a UN protectorate. -AFP __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
