MACEDONIA: THE MACEDONIAN ARMY ATTACK AREA AROUND THE VILLAGES OF SLUPCANE AND ORIZARI/EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA RALLY POLITICAL LEADERS BEHIND A PEACE PLAN

Record ID: 355720

  • Title: MACEDONIA: THE MACEDONIAN ARMY ATTACK AREA AROUND THE VILLAGES OF SLUPCANE AND ORIZARI/EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA RALLY POLITICAL LEADERS BEHIND A PEACE PLAN
  • Date: 9th June 2001
  • Summary: (W5) NEAR SLUPCANE, MACEDONIA (JUNE 9, 2001)(REUTERS) 1. GV/LV BORDER VILLAGES/ VARIOUS ATTACKS ON VILLAGES; EXPLOSIONS IN HILLS AROUND VILLAGES; HOUSES ON FIRE; HELICOPTER FLYING (17 SHOTS) 2.03 (W5) SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (JUNE 9, 2001)(REUTERS) 2. SLV/SV EXTERIOR OF MACEDONIAN PARLIAMENT/FLAG (2 SHOTS) 2.13 3. SLV/SV EUROPEAN UNION
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEAR SLUPCANE AND ORIZARI, MACEDONIA
  • Country: Macedonia
  • Reuters ID: LVACC8RTI9BVN21PPL1RWA8ZFX7N
  • Story Text: European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana has
    rallied Macedonia's fractious political leaders behind a peace
    plan as the army pounded ethnic Albanian rebels with tank and
    artillery fire.



    The Macedonian army focused attacks on areas around
    the villages of Slupcane and Orizari on Saturday (June 9).

    Army tanks could be seen on the hills behind Slupcane, backing
    government statements that the army was encircling the village.

    One military spokesman said that they were tightening the
    noose on the villages.

    Meanwhile, Macedonia's government vowed to recapture a
    small town just 10 km (six miles) east of Skopje, the closest
    the four-month-old conflict has come to the capital. The town
    of Aracinovo slipped into rebel control after thousands of
    residents fled.

    Visiting the Macedonian capital of Skopje for a meeting
    with President Boris Trajkovski on Saturday, European Union
    foreign policy chief Javier Solana said that nothing
    politically could be achieved through violent means.

    "This is not the time to get anything politically through
    violent means and the people and the NLA has to known that.

    The only way to achieve political achievements is through
    politics, through diplomacy, through dialogue, through the
    type of meeting we had today," Solana said after talks with
    leaders of a fractious unity government formed in May that
    includes both Macedonian Slavs and Albanians.

    President Boris Trajkovski outlined a peace scheme on
    Friday that stresses incentives for rebels to disarm, an
    overhaul of the armed forces and an acceleration of political
    reforms to address the grievances of ethnic Albanians.

    But Arben Xhaferi, head of the main party of the Albanian
    minority, around a third of the population, gave the plan less
    than full endorsement.

    Solana, asked if the politicians now agreed fully on a
    strategy for ending the uprising, he said that of course there
    were differences, but he thought they could be overcome.


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