Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- "We cannot have constant threats hanging over the NATO operation...." [Today's Josef Goebbels Prize for Inverted Journalism goes, once again, to Agence France-Presse for taking a story that should have been written to accomodate the title "Macedonians Being Drawn Into NATO Political Turmoil" and turning the truth on its head. Not a particularly difficult technique to master, though; just reverse subject and object, victim and perpetrator. Worked just fine with the Czech Sudetenland in 1938 and the Danzig Corridor a year later.] Sunday September 2, 6:55 AM NATO being drawn into Macedonian political turmoil SKOPJE, Sept 2 (AFP) - NATO found itself drawn into political turmoil in Macedonia Saturday when parliament suspended debate on a peace accord to end the seven-month uprising amid accusations the rebels were fomenting hostilies. The session was suspended by the assembly's hardline speaker, Stojan Andov, who said that a convoy of displaced Macedonians had been blocked in rebel-held territory and that ethnic Albanian rebel fighters were refusing to withdraw as promised. "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," Andov said. "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. Speaking to journalists late on Saturday, Andov said parliament would sit again once he had guarantees from President Boris Trajkovski and the West that Macedonians displaced by the conflict would be allowed to return home. Andov, whose influence is vital in having the August 13 peace agreement ratified by the assembly, claimed that European Union envoy Francois Leotard and his US counterpart James Pardew agreed with his position. But in a telephone conversation with AFP, Leotard said the accord "contains no written conditions and adding a new condition each day is a way to delay peace." "We cannot have constant threats hanging over the NATO operation and a return to peace," Leotard said shortly after a meeting with the Macedonian authorities. "The only condition on this accord is a verbal one, and that concerns the weapons," Leotard said, underlining that NATO had accepted the principle of linking debate on the accord and collecting rebel arms in three phases. "In the document signed on August 13, there is no other condition," he said. NATO has a mandate to collect weapons from National Liberation Armyrebels in 30 days, but some of the more than 4,500 troops in Macedonia have been involved in escort duties or negotiating in minor conflicts. While mediation falls outside the alliance's mandate, NATO sources said the troops would act in certain cirumstances if their mission was threatened. But they were quick to play down any fears of the operation being extended beyond 30 days. So-called "mission creep" plagued NATO operations in Bosnia and Kosovo, where alliance troops are still stationed. "We are not entering into the negotiation and freedom of movement management business," an alliance source said on Saturday. But Andov said he wanted a guarantee, including one from NATO, the EU and the OSCE, that displaced people would be able to return to their homes within 15 to 20 days. "If the guarantee comes, we will start tomorrow, but I want to be sure the people can return home 15 or 20 days after that," he told a small group of journalists in his office in the parliament building. The parliamentary session was scheduled to continue through the weekend 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. Western diplomats were confident the session would begin again soon but they did warn that the political process and the military process -- NATO's Operation Essential Harvest -- were closely linked. NATO has pledged to collect 3,300 NLA weapons by September 26. The framework peace agreement signed by Macedonia's political leaders has to be implemented by September 27. Parliament had made this session dependent on the NLA giving up one third of its arms, but NATO would also like parliament to vote on the principle of changing the constitution so the peace accord can be implemented. Once the vote takes place -- it was originally scheduled for Tuesday -- and passes with a two thirds majority the second phase of the operation is due to start. __________________________________________________ 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 ==^================================================================
