MACEDONIA: MACEDONIAN FORCES BOMBARD ALBANIAN REBEL POSITIONS/EU POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA ARRIVES IN SKOPJE FOR TALKS

Record ID: 358698

  • Title: MACEDONIA: MACEDONIAN FORCES BOMBARD ALBANIAN REBEL POSITIONS/EU POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA ARRIVES IN SKOPJE FOR TALKS
  • Date: 8th June 2001
  • Summary: (U7)SLUPCANE, MACEDONIA (JUNE 8, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. GV HUGE BILLOWS OF SMOKE OVER HILLS OF SLUPCANE (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. LV HOUSES IN VILLAGE ON FIRE 0.15 3. LV HELICOPTERS FIRING ON VILLAGE 0.32 4. GV HELICOPTERS FIRING FLARES ON VILLAGE 0.42 5. GV HUGE EXPLOSION ON HILL 0.47 6. LV HELICOPTER FIRING 0.51 7. GV
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SKOPJE, ARACINOVO AND SLUPCANE, MACEDONIA
  • Country: Macedonia
  • Reuters ID: LVACCBALM7WPSKAHUK5UCJYKAD3V
  • Story Text: Macedonian forces pounded Albanian rebels with
    helicopters and tanks in northeastern Macedonia on Friday,
    despite calls by Albanian rebels for a ceasefire.

    European Union policy chief Javier Solana arrived in the
    Macedonian capital of Skopje, saying that he was to speak with
    leaders of Macedonian and Albanian political parties in an
    unstable coalition to bring peace, and following a request by
    the country's prime minister this week for parliament to call
    a state of war.



    Macedonia's president launched a plan on Friday (June
    8) to end an ethnic Albanian insurgency, envisaging reforms to
    the armed forces and incentives for guerrillas to lay down
    their arms.

    "I'm addressing you at a critical point for the future of
    our state," President Boris Trajkovski told parliament as the
    armed forces bombarded rebel positions, ignoring a ceasefire
    offered by the insurgents.

    He said that his three-part plan to end the rebellion
    involved an overhaul of the security forces, measures to speed
    political reforms and ways to encourage rebels to disarm and
    return to civil society.

    Trajkovski stressed that Skopje should use both political
    and military means. "We can't find a way out of this crisis
    only by military means," he said.

    Outlining an initiative for demilitarisation, he said: "We
    must give those Macedonian citizens who were forced or cheated
    (into joining the rebels) a chance to get out of the claws of
    the bandits.

    European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana,
    arriving in Skopje on Friday night, welcomed the plan. "The
    plan with a three track is a very good one and it has our
    support," he said.

    The guerrillas say they are fighting to stop what they
    call discrimination against Albanians, who make up about 30
    per cent of the population, in everything from education to
    jobs and language rights.

    Western diplomatic sources say that the plan involved the
    National Liberation Army (NLA) guerrillas laying down their
    arms and leaving for neighbouring Kosovo. It would stop short
    of an amnesty.

    He also insisted that Macedonians had to sort out the
    crisis themselves without outside intervention. NATO has
    backed the government, but has given no promise of outside
    help.

    The army began artillery and helicopter attacks early on
    Friday morning against villages to the northeast of the
    capital Skopje that the rebels have controlled for more than a
    month.

    Albanian rebels have now moved into a new town in
    Macedonia, just 17 kilometres from Skopje, previously
    uninvolved in the fighting.

    Helicopter gunships and tanks blasted the villages of Slupcane
    and Matejce where fierce fighting has been taking place for
    weeks for control.

    Albanian rebels called on Thursday (June 7) evening for a
    unilateral ceasefire as of midnight, but Macedonian forces
    have ignored the call.

    Some kilometres away from Matejce, armed Albanian rebels have
    flooded into the town of Aracinovo, just 17km from Skopje and
    not a flashpoint.

    Until now, Aracinovo was the destination of some 3,000
    Albanian civilians who fled the zone of fighting. Civilians
    had been receiving humanitarian aid in the town and many had
    left to Kosovo. Reporters said, however, that the town seemed
    empty of women and children, with only men and NLA soldiers
    circling its empty streets. Government officials said there
    were a group of NLA soldiers in the town, but they were
    cautious of any action due to civilians in the town.


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