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Envoys Press Macedonia To Seek Negotiated Solution
SKOPJE, April 2 (News Agencies) - The European Union's two most senior foreign policy officials visited Macedonia on Monday to push politicians to choose compromise as the path to peace with its ethnic Albanian minority.
High Representative Javier Solana and External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten arrived in Skopje fresh from a joint meeting with NATO Secretary General George Robertson to coordinate a response to the crisis, in which an armed ethnic Albanian rebellion pushed Macedonia to the brink of civil war.
"In a democracy a political route forward is the only route forward," Robertson said after the meeting, which he said showed that the EU and NATO were working as a "team" on the issue.
"A broad political dialogue among all democratic parties is critical and must be pursued urgently to achieve concrete results ... in consolidating a truly multi-ethnic society," he said.
But Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski insisted before meeting the EU duo that dialogue in the country had never broken off.
"Political dialogue has never been interrupted in Macedonia, and it will continue. Despite certain differences, there are many issues on which we share common ground," he told reporters.
He made only a passing allusion to the demands of Macedonia's large ethnic Albanian community, in particular calls by rebels and mainstream political parties that have called for their legal status to be increased from minority to constitutive nation.
"Society must be built on the basis of individuals and not collective groups," he said after meeting with representatives of the 11 parties in parliament.
Skopje fears the Albanian demands could rip the state apart along ethnic lines.
Trajkovski later went into talks with Solana and Patten.
Macedonia's coalition government, which includes an ethnic Albanian party, has come under pressure from both sides since the crisis erupted.
The main Macedonian Slav opposition party is lobbying to be allowed to join the government, which would dilute Albanian influence, while Albanians inside and outside the administration have warned that the rebels will launch new attacks if their grievances are not addressed quickly.
As the EU heavyweights arrived at Trajkovski's offices, a crowd of around 80 anti-western demonstrators shouted their opposition to any idea of compromise with the Albanians.
The protestors shouted "fascists", chanted nationalist slogans and waved Macedonian flags as the EU motorcade pulled up outside the parliament building.
Although ethnic Albanian political leaders share the rebels' aim of upping the Albanians' status, they have been careful to distance themselves from the use of force by both the rebels and the state.
But their position has been made more difficult since many Macedonian Slavs oppose any compromise, especially after the government announced at the weekend it had defeated the rebels as a military force.
One protester, who gave her name only as "Daughter of Macedonia," said: "No one has the right to come into this country and try to change our constitution. If our constitution falls, our country will fall and this government with it."
Europe and NATO, however, fear that if negotiations are not opened on the Albanian demands, violence could erupt once again, and destabilize the region.
The demonstrators brandished placards bearing the slogans: "Robertson-Solana we know your intentions," "NATO out," "We don't want your dirty money," and "East not West," a message of support for the eastern countries such as Russia and Bulgaria, which have advised taking a tough line on the rebels.
Robertson said he would lead a mission of all 19 NATO ambassadors to Skopje on Tuesday and to Kosovo on Wednesday.
The European Union is trying to draw Macedonia closer to the European fold. On April 9th Skopje is to sign a Stabilization and Association Pact in Luxembourg, seen as a first step in the long road to EU membership.
"From the EU point of view, we are trying to help the country to move closer to the EU," Solana told reporters before leaving Brussels.
"But the country has to evolve along three lines - economic, political and ethnic stability. There has been evolution, but there must be more," he said.
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