NATO envoys hold key role in averting war in Macedonia

SKOPJE - Macedonia's tense capital is bracing itself for the arrival of a special United States envoy to help prevent a new war engulfing the Balkans.

The US Embassy in Skopje said the envoy, James Pardew, would work with European Union peace envoy Francois Leotard, who has already begun work in Skopje.

The appointments reflect growing international involvement in Macedonia, where an ethnic Albanian rebellion, which Government forces have been unable to quell, threatens to erupt into civil war.

The country's crisis zones remained generally quiet over the weekend apart from a brief firefight near the city of Tetovo.

Unlike Leotard, Pardew has Balkans experience as a senior Balkans adviser at the State Department.

He helped pacify Serbia's Presevo Valley, where another ethnic Albanian guerrilla group had confronted Serbian troops before agreeing to disarm.

In March, Pardew told an ethnic Albanian party in Kosovo to stop backing the National Liberation Army rebels in Macedonia.

He has also advocated a decision, ordered by President George W. Bush last week, to impose a travel ban on ethnic Albanians from Macedonia and Kosovo suspected of links with the guerrillas.



And Nato has approved a plan to send 3000 peacekeeping troops to Macedonia to collect and destroy the weapons of ethnic Albanian rebels.

The force would be deployed only when a lasting ceasefire had been declared and a political agreement reached between Macedonian political parties, Nato said.



Macedonian and ethnic Albanian political leaders have been discussing ways to improve minority rights to undercut the four-month-old rebellion, but talks have stalled.

The latest meeting was disrupted when armed police reservists stormed into Parliament during a nationalist riot and participants in the talks escaped through a back door.



The Albanians are demanding a more formalised international participation, and are sure to welcome US involvement.

The Macedonian side has so far resisted, fearing it will play into their opponents' hands.

- REUTERS

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