Nato lauds restraint in push against Albanian rebels, US urges caution

SKOPJE - Nato Secretary-General George Robertson has praised Macedonia for what he says is commendable restraint in the weekend assault to flush out ethnic Albanian rebels in the hills above Tetovo.

But United States Secretary of State Colin Powell cautioned in Washington that the battle was not "anywhere near over," although Macedonian forces had made some progress.

Robertson and European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Solana held two hours of talks with the Macedonian leadership, including President Boris Trajkovski, in the capital Skopje yesterday.

Macedonian Government officials earlier said rebel-held villages and all key positions had been captured in Sunday's ground offensive carried out by tanks, artillery and infantry.

Macedonia's flag flew over the ancient Ottoman fortress above Tetovo, the most visible sign of the Government's grip on the hills 24 hours after a military operation to push out rebels, who say they are fighting to improve the rights of local Albanians.

But tensions throughout northern Macedonia remained high yesterday and sporadic shelling could be heard in the mountains beyond Tetovo, Macedonia's unofficial ethnic Albanian capital.

Two policemen were shot and wounded when their patrol van was machinegunned on a road between Skopje and the border with the Yugoslav province of Kosovo.

Diplomatic sources earlier said there was "considerable dismay" among Nato allies at Macedonia's decision to send the Army into the Tetovo hinterland.

Nato allies had feared that Macedonia's precarious ethnic balance could be shattered by a Kosovo-style offensive steam-rollering through Albanian communities.

But Robertson said Macedonia had shown commendable restraint and urged the Government to intensify inter-ethnic dialogue.

"I want to be blunt: there are two options for the people of this country - it is a united Macedonia or another Balkan bloodbath," Robertson said, referring to the violent collapse of old socialist Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Skopje says the guerrillas come from ethnic Albanian dominated Kosovo and want to join the UN-ruled Yugoslav province to create a Greater Albania.

Trajkovski said that the Army offensive on Sunday was launched to protect his country's territorial integrity and also "to avoid losing control over inter-ethnic relations and to avoid Macedonia and the international community becoming hostages of these groups."

Western powers favour a two-pronged approach to the conflict - a measured military response coupled with measures to address Albanian grievances.

Robertson said Macedonian forces had taken the physical high ground, adding: "The opportunity is now there to take a political high ground."

In Washington, Powell said Macedonian forces had launched an attack "and it seems they have had some success getting part way up that hill."

But, he added, "I don't think the battle is anywhere near over or that the crisis is yet resolved."

In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said British and Swedish soldiers serving in the Nato-led K-For peacekeeping force in Kosovo would form a 400-strong unit for quick deployment along the border with Macedonia to stop rebels and arms crossing over.

- REUTERS

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