MACEDONIA: MACEDONIAN TROOPS POUND POSITIONS HELD BY ETHNIC ALBANIAN REBELS NEAR GRACANI
Record ID:
648654
MACEDONIA: MACEDONIAN TROOPS POUND POSITIONS HELD BY ETHNIC ALBANIAN REBELS NEAR GRACANI
- Title: MACEDONIA: MACEDONIAN TROOPS POUND POSITIONS HELD BY ETHNIC ALBANIAN REBELS NEAR GRACANI
- Date: 28th March 2001
- Summary: (U5) GRACANI, MACEDONIA (MARCH 28) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS OF MACEDONIAN MORTARS LANDING ON HILLSIDE (ARTILLERY AIMED AT ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLA POSITIONS) (2 SHOTS) 0.22 2. GV: HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD 0.28 3. VARIOUS OF FLAME AND SMOKE RISING FROM HILLSIDE (AUDIO OF ARTILLERY BEING FIRED AND IMPACTING) (4 SHOTS) 1.11 4. MV: MACEDONIAN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER (APC) DRIVING ALONG ROAD 1.18 5. GV: HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD 1.25 (U5) SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (MARCH 28) (REUTERS) 6. WS/SV: EXTERIOR PRESIDENTIAL BUILDING/ MACEDONIAN FLAG FLYING (2 SHOTS) 1.33 7. MV/SV: GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGES PAPANDREOU MEETING MACEDONIAN PRIME MINISTER BORIS TRIKOVSKI (2 SHOTS) 1.46 8. SV: PAPANDREOU WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE 1.50 9. PAN/SV: PAPANDREOU SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE/ REPORTER TALKING NOTES (2 SHOTS) 2.03 10. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAPANDREOU SPEAKING AFTER NEWS CONFERENCE, SAYING "We do hope that in every operation, as in previous operations there is such restraint that we see no victims. This would be the best and our plea from the international community is, not simply plea but our will is that terrorist activity will stop because there is a way to deal with issues and that is through negotiation, discussion, dialogue through democratic processes and this is what we support." 2.33 11. TILT UP: GREEK AND EUROPEAN UNION FLAGS OUTSIDE 2.37 12. SV: PAPANDREOU AND ENTOURAGE LEAVING 2.43 LIKOVO, MACEDONIA (MARCH 28, 2001)(REUTERS) 13. CU: SIGNS AT ENTRANCE TO LIKOVO VILLAGE, WHERE ARMY STATIONED OVERNIGHT PRIOR TO LAUNCH OF OFFENSIVE TOWARDS TANUSEVCI 2.46 14. VARIOUS VIEWS OF LIKOVO/ RESIDENTS GATHERED (3 SHOTS) 2.59 15. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(German) RESIDENT OF VILLAGE SAYING: "200 troops and police were stationed here and this is a provocation." 3.29 16. SV: EXIT SIGN OF LIKOVO, UCK GRAFFITI 3.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th April 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GRACANI, SKOPJE AND LIKOVO, MACEDONIA
- Country: Macedonia
- Reuters ID: LVAEQ1YF9AKSDSPKUBD53VBJEGFF
- Story Text: Macedonian troops have pounded positions held by
ethnic Albanian rebels near Gracani even as Greek Foreign
Minister Papandreous called for continued restraint by the
government troops in their actions against the guerrillas.
Macedonian forces launched a fresh offensive against
ethnic Albanian guerrillas on Wednesday (March 28) in what
appeared to be a final drive to rout the rebels from their
remaining mountain hideouts.
Tank and mortar fire echoed across the valleys north of
the capital Skopje as security forces began a two-pronged
assault against guerrilla redoubts, three days after a major
push against the rebels above the northwestern town of Tetovo.
The operation began shortly after dawn, close to the
village of Gracani and further east in the Tanusevci area near
the border with the Serbian province of Kosovo.
A Reuters reporter close to Gracani, some 15 kilometres
northwest of Skopje, heard the incessant boom of tank and
mortar fire and said tanks and infantry reinforcements had
rolled up the winding country roads early in the morning.
Another Reuters reporter in the hills on the Kosovo side
of the border saw a Macedonian helicopter charge into position
and fire rockets at rebel positions on the craggy mountain
ridge.
Some six bursts of flame shot from the gunpod as the
rockets were unleashed on ground targets. Two United States
Apache helicopters from NATO peace forces hovered just inside
Kosovo, monitoring the battle.
Pushing the last rebels back towards their rear bases in
Kosovo would clear the way to addressing the political demands
of Macedonia's ethnic Albanians, up to a third of the
population, who complain of second class treatment.
Macedonia said on Tuesday the crisis, which has stoked
fears of another major Balkan war, was almost over. It warned,
however, of the danger of "urban terrorism" from the
guerrillas who say they are fighting for greater rights for
local Albanians.
Ethnic Albanians say they face discrimination in
education, employment and politics, and the guerrillas appear
to have at least the tacit support of some in the Albanian
community.
Western leaders have condemned the guerrilla army and
urged them to use the political arena to voice their
grievances.
Western political leaders were reassured of Skopje's good
faith by the restraint which Macedonia's forces showed when
they attacked guerrilla positions above Tetovo, largely
avoiding civilian casualties.
After meeting Macedonian President Boris Trikovski on
Wednesday, visiting Greek Foreign Minister Georges Papandreou
said they hoped Macedonia would continue to show restraint. He
urged all parties to end the crisis through peaceful and
political means.
"We do hope that in every operation, as in previous
operations there is such restraint that we see no victims.
This would be the best and our plea from the international
community is, not simply plea but our will is that terrorist
activity will stop because there is a way to deal with issues
and that is through negotiation, discussion, dialogue through
democratic processes and this is what we support." Papandreou
said.
The Macedonian government is believed ready to discuss
granting Albanians more language rights, a greater say in
local government, a state television station and an official
university in discussions likely to be held under EU auspices.
But one local resident in Likovo has not been pleased by
the use of force by the government, fearing the stationing of
troops overnight in his village would bring consequences.
"200 troops and police were stationed here and this is a
provocation," he said.
Western leaders have urged Macedonia's Slav majority to
defuse the resentment that has stoked the Albanian rebellion
and has also raised the possibility of Skopje changing its
constitution to better reflect the country's multi-ethnic
character.
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