MACEDONIA: DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS CONTINUE TO RESOLVE VIOLENCE ON ALBANIA-MACEDONIA BORDER.

Record ID: 647785

  • Title: MACEDONIA: DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS CONTINUE TO RESOLVE VIOLENCE ON ALBANIA-MACEDONIA BORDER.
  • Date: 20th March 2001
  • Summary: TETOVO, MACEDONIA (MARCH 19, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) ALL NIGHTSHOTS 1. LV/GV: RAPID BURST OF FIRE FROM ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER (5 SHOTS) 0.29 2. GV/LV: VARIOUS SPARKS FROM MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM MACEDONIAN POLICE (2 SHOTS) 0.49 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (MARCH 19, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. GV: EUROPEAN UNION SECURITY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA DISEMBARKS FROM PLANE AND SHAKES HANDS WITH MACEDONIAN OFFICIALS 1.01 4. MV: SOUNDBITE (English) EUROPEAN UNION SECURITY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA SAYING: "All we want is to help, and to help in a very clear manner. We have said many times and I would like to say it again, that we support the territorial integrity of Macedonia. We don't think there is any place for violence. We are going to help politically and from the security point of view and of course we are also going to help economically"" 1.26 5. GV: MACEDONIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGAN KERIM STANDING BESIDE SOLANA 1.30 TETOVO, MACEDONIA (MARCH 19, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. GV: VARIOUS OF MACEDONIAN POLICE SHELLING HILLS 1.38 7. LV: EXPLOSION OF SHELLS ON TOP OF HILLS 1.49 8. LV/GV: CONVOY OF MACEDONIAN TANKS AND ACPS ARRIVING (6 SHOTS) 2.21 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (MARCH 19, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. GV/MV: INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS WORKERS REGISTERING DISPLACED PERSONS (6 SHOTS) 2.50 ALBANIAN-MACEDONIAN BORDER (MARCH 19, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. GV/MV/LV: ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES FROM TETOVO GOING INTO ALBANIA/ ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES FROM TETOVO ON FOOT WITH BAGS WALKING TOWARDS THE BORDER/ GROUPS OF FAMILIES WITH POSSESSIONS WAITING AT BORDER CROSSING/ WOMEN AND CHILDREN SITTING ON GROUND/ REFUGEES BOARDING BUSES (6 SHOTS) 3.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th April 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SKOPJE AND TETOVO, MACEDONIA / ALBANIAN-MACEDONIAN BORDER
  • City:
  • Country: Macedonia Albania
  • Reuters ID: LVAAKB1Y3PXD5JLOGHTL612Z04Z3
  • Story Text: European Union security chief Javier Solana has arrived
    in Skopje as part of the diplomatic effort to resolve the
    deepening crisis in Macedonia, where fighting has again
    continued into the night.


    Heavy fighting continued into the night on Monday (19
    March) in the hills surrounding the Macedonian town of Tetovo,
    close to the Kosovo border. Macedonian authorities said they
    would restrict movement in the town in the evening as part of
    offensive measures against the ethnic Albanian guerrillas.

    On arriving in Skopje Javier Solana told reporters that
    the European Union (EU) supported "the territorial integrity
    of Macedonia."
    He said: "All we want is to help, and to help in a very
    clear manner. We have said many times and I would like to say
    it again, that we support the territorial integrity of
    Macedonia. We don't think there is any place for violence. We
    are going to help politically and from the security point of
    view and of course we are also going to help economically."
    Solana said that he thought Macedonia had the
    "capability to deal with the rebels." He added: "The
    extremists have no place in this relationship which the
    European union wants to construct with the countries of the
    region."
    Macedonia earlier deployed tanks and troops in Tetovo for
    what the government said would be a "final operation" against
    ethnic Albanian guerrillas in the hills above the town.

    Soviet-built tanks moved into Tetovo on transporter
    vehicles from the direction of the Macedonian capital Skopje
    about 45 km (30 miles) to the east, heading for the army base
    in Tetovo.

    Russia, the United States, NATO and the European Union
    have voiced deepening concern at the mounting conflict.

    NATO announced troop reinforcements on the Kosovo border
    with Macedonia to stop further infiltration of guerrillas from
    Kosovo. Secretary-General George Robertson vowed "decisive
    action" but declined to give numbers, locations or timing.

    Speaking to Voice of America radio, the political
    commander of the rebel National Liberation Army said four
    fighters had been killed and 10 injured since the start of
    their campaign.

    A Tetovo civilian was also killed last week and a
    Macedonian Army pilot died when his transport helicopter full
    of police troops crashed on Sunday.

    The International Red Cross has begun registering refugees
    from the fighting near Tetovo.

    Four hundred refugees mainly from Tetovo crossed the
    border into Albania on Monday, a Macedonia border official
    said. They were fleeing the violence in Tetovo.

    (jd/as)


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register