Macedonian president rejects post-NATO international force

AFP | 9/08

[oxi-nato]

SKOPJE, Sept 7 (AFP) - Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski on Saturday rejected Western calls for an international force to remain in the troubled Balkan state once NATO leaves early next month. "It is not in the interests of NATO or Macedonians to have another Kosovo or Bosnia, another protectorate," Trajkovski said during a one-hour interview with state radio here.

"It was different here because the Macedonian army was not involved in ethnic cleansing. They did not start a war, so there is no need to have NATO to preserve an artificial peace," he said. "Nato will finish its mission successfully and should leave the country," he said. "If NATO remains there will be a false peace."

The president said international monitors from the European Union and Europe's OSCE security organisation should remain in Macedonia but that conditions should not be placed on their presence. NATO began a 30-day mission uniquely to collect weapons from rebels of the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA) on August 27.

Under a peace accord between the country's main Macedonian and Albanian political parties, the rebels will hand in 3,300 arms by September 26 and parliament will change the constitution to extend civil rights to the large ethnic Albanian minority by September 27. Trajkovski also said that more ethnic Albanians should be taken into the police force now so that a joint security force could go into any future trouble spots together once NATO leaves.

The August 13 framework peace agreement provides more jobs for minorities in the police force. The force is supposed to recruit 500 ethnic Albanians by next July with 500 more joining over the following year. On Friday, a parliamentary source said Macedonia rejected the presence of an international force on its soil because its sovereignty could come under threat. "We agree with monitors but we do not need any forces," the source said, in reference to observers who will verify that the peace accord is being respected.

"There are legitimate reasons for not wanting this. Our full sovereignty comes under question and we have to deal with strong (negative) public opinion about NATO," the source said. The West wants hundreds of monitors to be deployed in Macedonia but fears are wide-spread that a security vacuum could be created when NATO leaves and that observers' lives could be endangered.

"The international community is putting pressure on us and we have to listen to this," the source said. On Thursday, the Macedonian security council called for monitors to be sent to conflict areas in the north and northwest when NATO's mission ends and the Macedonian army moves into rebel territory.

[crypt2k]

A young boy holds a toy rifle brought to a street performance in front of the parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia Friday, Sept. 7, 2001. The gathering, attended by about 1,000 residents of Skopje, was meant to mock NATO's plan to collect ethnic Albanian rebel weapons. Many Macedonians believe the rebels are handing in only outdated hardware. (AP Photo)

[crypt2k]

"...The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles..."

Ethnic Albanian soldiers of the National Liberation Army march through the village of Slupcane, Macedonia, Tuesday, Sept. 4 2001. The NLA troops are training in the northern Macedonian town, while the country's parliament is under intense international pressure to reform their constitution to allow greater rights for the ethnic Albanian population. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

[norton]

Trajkovski and anyone else in Macedonian government must be aware that there will be war in Macedonia no matter what happens after NATO gets it's 3300 antiques.
Seems only wise to be preparing for it to involve only one enemy instead of that enemy plus NATO mercenaries.
NATO will of course be involved from its existing bases outside Macedonia and might well keep a trip-wire (read target) presence at significant points within FYROM (the airport etc.) ... but there are other interested states that could be expected to support the Macedonians from the opposite borders.
That sounds like a much fairer deal to me.

[kimosabe31]

They even "goosestep" like the nazi's.

[kimosabe31]

"It was different here because the Macedonian army was not involved in ethnic cleansing. They did not start a war, so there is no need to have NATO to preserve an artificial peace," he said.

This guy Trajkovski is incredibly clueless. He just doesn't understand what's going on or he's in denial unable to face the truth of the crimes he has committed against his own people. He believes the JNA was involved in ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. He allowed NATO to use his country as logistic support to bomb s#$t out of Yugoslavia...now he's looking down the same gun barrel and still doesn't get it. The Macedonians are in serious trouble, but If they don't get rid of this guy, there is absolutely no hope.

"With what little wit the world is ruled." He should be shot for the crimes he's already committed against his own people.