From: "Miroslav Antic" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ---------------------------------------- Remember Jean la Fontaine's fable "The Wolf and the Lamb" ? http://www.philagora.net/fontain1.htm -------------------------------------------------------- 25 Jul 2001 U.S. national security adviser calls on Ukraine to stop providing weapons to Macedonia The Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice called on Ukraine on Wednesday to stop weapons supplies to Macedonia, saying arms transfers could jeopardize peace efforts in the troubled Balkan nation. Ukraine is one of the main weapons suppliers to the Macedonian government, which has been battling ethnic Albanian rebels since February. In recent months, Macedonia has bought eight Ukrainian Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters along with four Su-25 aircraft, nearly doubling its air force, and there have been talks on Ukrainian construction of a technical support base to repair the aircraft. We believe it is important to keep the focus on those political negotiations that are being facilitated by the European Union and the United States, Rice told a group of Ukrainian and foreign reporters. In that context, anything that adds to the belief that this conflict can be solved militarily is not helpful at this time. It is not that the Macedonian government should not have adequate means for its defense, she said. But to rush arms into Macedonia at a time when they are in a political set of discussions, we think is not helpful. The Macedonian government has expressed outrage over a peace plan offered by European Union and American mediators, claiming it would lead to the breakup of the country. Late Tuesday, Macedonian crowds attacked foreign embassies in the Macedonian capital Skopje, the mobs accusing NATO of supporting the guerrillas. They threw stones at the U.S. Embassy, smashed the entrances of the British and German embassies, and burned several cars belonging to the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The attacks followed a statement Tuesday by government spokesman Antonio Milososki, who accused Western mediators of coordinating their efforts with the rebels and called NATO ?a big friend of our enemies. Macedonian officials have threatened to ignore Western mediation efforts and launch a new military offensive if ethnic Albanian rebels don't pull back from positions gained in fierce fighting around the city of Tetovo. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
