Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- "We are not going to allow any kind of terror and torture against civilians..." Saturday September 1, 7:44 PM Macedonian parliament cancels peace accord debate SKOPJE, Sept 1 (AFP) - The Macedonian parliament cancelled debate Saturday on implementing a peace accord aimed at ending a seven-month ethnic Albanian uprising over claims the rebels were not respecting their agreements. "We can't allow citizens to be mistreated and the conditions have not been met for us to work. When the conditions have been met, they will start work again," said parliamentary speaker Stojan Andov. Andov said that a convoy of displaced Macedonians was blocked in rebel-held territory and that the National Liberation Army (NLA) was refusing to return to positions it held before the ceasefire was signed on July 5. "We are not going to allow any kind of terror and torture against civilians -- this is the condition for the session to continue," he said. "We proved yesterday that we are ready to work and to accept the initiative of the president, but we insist that the members of the NLA open the road and give the people a chance to return to their homes," Andov added. He gave no indication when the assembly would meet again. President Boris Trajkovski's peace plan includes the framework peace accord signed on August 13 and NATO's operation to collect 3,000 NLA weapons by September 27. Opening the session on Friday, Trajkovski called on the assembly to choose peace over war, saying the deal was "the best thing we have right now." The convoy of five buses was returning from taking displaced Macedonians to visit their villages in the north of the country on Friday when it was blocked by a group of ethnic Albanian villagers. The villagers said they had erected the barrier because Macedonian police had set up three checkpoints on the main roads into the majority ethnic Albanian town of Tetovo. The convoy was forced to spend the night deep in NLA territory. "They were blocked on their way back to Skopje by the NLA and their sympathisers and had to stay overnight in Vratnica." Andov said. "We have to dig out the roots of this problem that is hindering a constructive and responsible debate." Teams from NATO and Europe's security organisation, the OSCE, tried without success to negotiate the convoy's passage. The parliamentary session was scheduled to continue until at least Tuesday, when a first vote was expected on the principle of changing the constitution so that the agreement can be implemented. The accord grants an amnesty to most rebels who disarm, gives official status to the Albanian language in some areas and provides for more minority jobs in the police force and the administration. Friday's opening seance was delayed by some six hours when protesters blocked the parliament building and prevented the deputies from entering. It was to have begun with a speech by Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, whose nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party holds 43 seats in the 120-seat parliament, and is one of the keys to having the agreement ratified. In the Macedonian press on Saturday, Georgievski said that his party would take a serious and constructive approach to the document, even though he criticised it as too political. He also said he was in favour of the package being passed by a referendum -- a process not explicitly laid down in the framework agreement. "It should have the wider support of the population. A referendum is an option that is not to be thrown away. But, it's true it is not the government that should begin such a procedure," he told the daily Vecer. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
