MACEDONIA/BELGIUM: MACEDONIA HALTS SHELLING OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS AS PARLIAMENT MEETS TO RATIFY ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT.

Record ID: 566212

  • Title: MACEDONIA/BELGIUM: MACEDONIA HALTS SHELLING OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS AS PARLIAMENT MEETS TO RATIFY ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT.
  • Date: 14th May 2001
  • Summary: VILLAGE OF MATEJCE, NEAR KUMANOVO, MACEDONIA (MAY 13, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. TRACK: TRACKING SHOT ON THE ROAD TO MATEJCE VILLAGE, TRACTOR PASSING BY 0.11 2. TRACK/PAN: TRACKING SHOT MACEDONIAN SOLDIER ON APC DRIVING THROUGH VILLAGE 0.18 3. GV: DESERTED STREET IN VILLAGE/ HOUSES, BASEMENT WINDOWS PROTECTED BY SAND BAGS/ SOLDIERS STANDING (4 SHOTS) 0.40 4. GV/MV: MACEDONIAN SOLDIER OBSERVING (2 SHOTS) 0.50 5. GV/MV: ALBANIAN FAMILY ON TRACTOR/ POLICE CHECKING IDENTITY CARDS OF FAMILY/ BAGS WITH FLOUR ON TRACTOR (4 SHOTS) 1.13 6. GV: CAT EATING DEAD CHICKEN 1.19 7. GV: SOLDIER WALKING AROUND VILLAGE WITH GUN 1.25 8. MV: SOUNDBITE (Macedonian) ELDERLY ALBANIAN VILLAGER SAYING: "We all just sit around the house and then when the shooting starts we run into the basement." 1.35 9. GV: MAN'S FAMILY STANDING IN FRONT OF HOUSE 1.39 10. MV: SOUNDBITE (Macedonian) ALBANIAN MAN CONTINUES: "There is no food. I don't know what to think." 1.44 11. GV: MAN WALKING IN STREET CARRYING BASKET WITH WATER 1.50 12. MV: SOUNDBITE (Macedonian) VLADIMIR ZIVIC WHOSE SON DISAPPEARED AT THE BEGINNING OF OFFENSIVE, SAYING: "He came home, slept and then in the morning he went to Kumanovo and never came back. All I want is someone to tell me where he is." 2.06 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (MAY 13, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 13. VARIOUS: EXTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT/ MACEDONIAN FLAG/ SECURITY IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT/ VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT SESSION (11 SHOTS) 3.02 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MAY 13, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14. MV: ANNAN PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW 3.06 15. MCU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) ANNAN, ASKED ABOUT VIOLENCE IN MACEDONIA POSING A THREAT TO THE REST OF THE REGION, SAYING: "We are all worried and I am in touch with the leaders and in particular with our European friends. And I think the EU and NATO are doing a very good job. I am in touch with Javier Solana and Robertson and we are supporting their efforts very actively. I think we are all concerned that if this is not contained, if we cannot get them to resolve their differences through dialogue, if we cannot get them to move ahead on a power sharing basis, and the conflict gets out of hand, it can destabilise not just Macedonia, but beyond that." 0.47 16. GV: ANNAN AND INTERVIEWER 3.51 17. MCU: (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) ANNAN, ASKED IF GOVERNMENT IS UP TO JOB, SAYING: "They have indicated a willingness to try, a willingness to move in that direction and I think they are going to need help, support and encouragement. I think the people within the country should give them a chance. And outsiders should give them all the support we can." 4.07 18. GV: ANNAN AND INTERVIEWER 4.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 29th May 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MATEJCE VILLAGE AND SKOPJE, MACEDONIA/BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium Macedonia
  • Reuters ID: LVA7YGZQ5LOQL2PXGE5W1WWZ72Y1
  • Story Text: Macedonia has halted shelling of ethnic Albanian
    guerrillas as parliament met to ratify a new all-party
    government designed to isolate rebels and avert a civil war.

    United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the
    formation of a coalition government in Macedonia and warned
    that the conflict in the former Yugoslav republic risked
    destabilising the whole of the region.



    The village of Matejce has a mixed population of ethnic
    Albanians, Slav Macedonians and Serbs.

    It is some 3 km (1.8 miles) from the village of Slupcane,
    a stronghold of ethnic Albanian rebels bombarded bombarded by
    government troops for 10 days.

    A mosque and an Orthodox church are just hundreds of
    metres apart.

    The village was eerily quiet on Sunday (May 13) when
    security forces allowed a group of reporters to visit.

    An old ethnic Albanian, who cautiously appeared through
    the gates of his house on the central square, said he knew
    nothing about the national unity government.

    "We don't have a radio, there is no electricity. We all
    just sit around the house and then when the shooting starts we
    run into the basement," he said.

    There were only a few people to be seen in the streets.

    Among them Vladimiir Zivic, a 73-year old Macedonian
    trying to find anyone who could give him any information on
    his son Romeo who was captured by ethnic Albanian guerrillas
    11 days ago.

    "He came home in the evening, slept and then in the
    morning he left for Kumanovo and never came back. All I want
    is someone to tell me where he is", Zivic told reporters.

    The national unity government, due to be approved by
    parliament on Sunday afternoon, is seen by the West as the
    best way to isolate the rebels, deprive them of grassroots
    support and prevent the conflict from growing into civil war.

    The guerrillas occupied a swathe of Macedonia's territory
    in the northeast, where it borders Kosovo and Serbia.

    Matejce, some 15 km (10 miles) from the border, became a
    frontline.

    In an exclusive interview with Reuters Television UN
    Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke of his fears of further
    conflict in the Balkan region.

    "We are all worried and I am in touch with the leaders and
    in particular with our European friends", he said. Annan
    added: "I think we are all concerned that if this is not
    contained, if we cannot get them to resolve their differences
    through dialogue, if we cannot get them to move ahead on a
    power-sharing basis, and the conflict gets out of hand, it can
    destabilise not just Macedonia but beyond that."
    Annan called on both the people of Macedonia and foreign
    governments to support the new administration.

    "They have indicated a willingness to try, a willingness
    to move in that direction and I think they are going to need
    help, support and encouragement. I think the people within the
    country should give them a chance. And outsiders should give
    them all the support we can," Annan said.
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