NATO Chief: Macedonia Situation 'Critical'

T E T O V O , Macedonia, July 25, 2001 -- The government gave ethnic Albanian rebels an ultimatum to pull back from around the country'ssecond-largest city or face a new army offensive, as thousands of Macedonians streamed out of the city in packed cars and buses.

NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson called the situation"critical" and said he and the European Union's foreign policychief would fly to Macedonia on Thursday for urgent mediation toprevent a descent into full-scale civil war.

More than 8,000 people fled the area of the northern city ofTetovo in the past 24 hours, the government said, most heading forthe capital Skopje after fierce fighting Sunday and Mondayshattered a fragile cease-fire.

The exodus widened after Macedonia's defense minister andinterior minister today warned that military action waspossible if the insurgents didn't retreat.

"Unless the rebels pull out to their previous positions ... wewill no longer listen to suggestions from any Western mediator, andan offensive is not excluded as an option," the ministers said ina statement.

In Brussels, Belgium, Robertson urged restraint. "Any effortsto resolve the situation militarily can only result in the wreckageof the country and the inflicting of grave civilian casualties,"he said.

More Ethnic Cleansing?

Overnight, mobs of Macedonians rampaged against foreignembassies in Skopje, accusing NATO of supporting the guerrillas.Protesters threw stones at the U.S. Embassy late Tuesday, smashedentrances of the British and German embassies and burned severalU.N. and other cars.

The clashes around Tetovo were the worst in months and dimmedhopes that peace talks that collapsed last month could be revived.Those fleeing the city largely were ethnic Macedonians — who form amajority in the country but a minority in Tetovo.

One lifelong resident, Milina Stavreva, packed to leavetoday, vowing never to return. "Enough is enough," saidStavreva, 60. "We can no longer live here."

The militants launched their insurgency in February, saying theywere fighting for greater rights for minority ethnic Albanians, whoaccount for up to a third of Macedonia's 2 million people. Thegovernment alleges the rebels are linked to militants inneighboring Kosovo and accuses them of trying to carve outterritory from Macedonia.

"It makes no sense to continue the talks as long as the rebelsare violating the cease-fire," government spokesman AntonioMilososki told The Associated Press. "If they don't return totheir previous positions, we will force them to do so."

Macedonia Criticized

Britain's Foreign Office advised against all travel toMacedonia, and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer stronglycriticized the Macedonian government for stirring up anti-Westernsentiment.

Fischer said government statements helped create "a violentdomestic climate" and led to the embassy attacks.

On Tuesday, Milososki accused Western mediators of coordinatingtheir efforts with the rebels and called NATO "a big friend of ourenemies."

The NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo said today ithad detained more than 60 suspected rebels from Macedonia, seizingweapons and ammunition after intercepting three separate muletrains along the rugged border.

Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski and Interior Minister LjubeBoskoski gave the rebels until noon Wednesday to pull back to theirprevious positions in Tetovo. That deadline passed with no sign ofan offensive.

Ministry spokesman Marjan Gjurovski said army barracks andpositions near Tetovo's soccer stadium came under fire until 2 a.m.today. Tetovo's hospital said five wounded were brought inovernight, and that they included civilians and military personnel.

Several police checkpoints around the city were taken by rebels,media reported.