Macedonia Factions Sign Peace Accord

S K O P J E, Macedonia, Aug. 13 -- Macedonia's rival political leaders signed a landmark peace accord today aimed at ending six months of bloody conflict and clearing the way for NATO troops to disarm ethnic Albanian rebels.

Political leaders representing the Balkan country's Macedonianmajority and its minority ethnic Albanian population formallyendorsed the agreement, which gives ethnic Albanians a larger shareof power in the police ranks, parliament and education.

NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson, European Union envoyJavier Solana, French mediator Francois Leotard and U.S. envoyJames Pardew were among those attending the signing ceremony atPresident Boris Trajkovski's residence.

Robertson called it "a remarkable moment for the history ofMacedonia. This day marks the entry of Macedonia into modern,mainstream Europe."

Hoping for Peace From Now On

Although details still must be worked out, the accord paves theway for NATO to send in 3,500 troops to disarm the rebels. TheBritish-led mission, dubbed Operation Essential Harvest, would last30 days and include troops from the United States, France, Germany,Italy, Spain, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, Hungary and theCzech Republic.

"This is the day when we can begin an end to this conflict andtake all the political issues off the table," said Pardew, whohelped broker the accord last week. "After this day, there shouldbe no reason for fighting."

But before the NATO troops can be deployed, there will have tobe a "durable cease-fire," Robertson cautioned. He gave notimetable for deployment.

"Clearly, there has to be a sustainable cease-fire and clearindications from the insurgents that they mean business in terms ofdisarming completely and handing over their weapons and ammunitionto the NATO troops when they come," he said.

Ahead of the signing, Macedonia's government reinstated acease-fire that had gone ignored over the past two weeks.Trajkovski ordered government forces to stop shooting Sunday "toshow goodwill and give a chance" to the peace deal, statetelevision reported.