From: Miroslav Antic <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Letters to the Editor Toronto Sun Sir, Re: August 8, 2001 "Another Balkan pot set to boil over." Cudos to Mr. P. Worthington and Toronto Sun for the insight and common sense with regards to Albanian terrorism in Macedonia. It is worth remembering that the UN "peace keepers" were sent to then peaceful Macedonia, almost ten years ago, to protect Macedonia's sovereignty against mistakenly perceived threats from Milosevic's Serbia. It is indeed amazing to see the impotence of NATO and the same UN forces' before the very real threat to peace and Macedonian integrity now taking place. Could it be that NATO is suffering from a total amnesia with regards to the vile terrorist tactics used by Albanian Kosovo rebels only two years ago in Kosovo? The same terrorist actions which drove Serbia to respond in kind and be bombed by NATO on the "humanitarian grounds"? Or could it be that, having been royally duped by the same Kosovo Albanian rebels, NATO is more concerned about having to admit it than saving Macedonia? Either way, if it does not stop its former partners from braking up Macedonia through civil war, NATO's morality and its credibility as a defender of peaceful nations - will end up in a toilet. Respectfully Sonja Myers On 7 Aug 2001, at 23:37, Miroslav Antic wrote: > > > http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/worthington.html > > THE TORONTO SUN, Sunday, August 5, 2001 > > > > Another Balkan pot set to boil over > ----------------------------------- > > By PETER WORTHINGTON -- Toronto Sun > > > Ever since the U.S./NATO "victory" in the Kosovo air war that put > ethnic > > Albanians in power (i.e., the Kosovo Liberation Army), neighbouring > Macedonia has been targeted for militant Albanian subversion. > > Despite months of probes, killings and attacks inside Macedonia's > border, followed by temporary ceasefires and negotiations brokered by > NATO and the > European Union (EU), civil war seems inescapable. > > Few expect the latest ceasefire to last. > > Simmering volcanoes inevitably erupt. > > At stake is Macedonia's sovereignty and integrity. Maybe even its > existence. Certainly its stability. > > Macedonia is a "new" (1991) but very old (Alexander the Great) country > the size of Vermont (or half the size of Nova Scotia), with a > population of two million, maybe 25% of which is ethnic Albanian. > Until Kosovo, ethnic relations were considered relatively harmonious. > > No longer. Albanian militants comprising the National Liberation Army > (using the Albanian initials UCK, the same as in Kosovo, but > different) claim to be > fighting for human rights and equal treatment but are suspected of > wanting > part of Macedonia for Kosovo, or even a Greater Albania - as Albanian > maps > have long depicted. > > Leaders of the NLA and many of its fighters are the very ones who > agitated, provoked and goaded Serbs into retaliations that led to the > U.S./NATO air > war against Slobodan Milosevic's regime. > > Similar militancy is underway in Macedonia. > > An older "liberation" (terrorist?) movement with the initials UCPMB is > also active and wants Albanian areas united with Kosovo, which the NLA > publicly > rejects in favour of more rights for Albanians, which the government > feels > aren't needed. > > The majority of Macedonia's ethnic Albanians haven't overtly sided > with several thousand NLA fighters, but as time goes on, sympathy > grows and more will likely join the cause. > > Ostensibly, what Macedonian Albanians want is recognition as equals > under Macedonia's constitution, Albanian to be an official language > (they got that last week) and a state-funded Albanian university > established. > > The government - probably correctly - sees concessions as a first step > toward breaking up or surrendering the country. They hardly seem a > reason for civil war, yet that's what looms. > > Macedonia views insurgents as rebels and terrorists who, if not > crushed, > > will blossom into a legitimate dissident movement. That is, all-out > civil war. > > Predictably, western countries favour negotiations, arbitration, > mediation - anything but overt military response. > > Military solutions > > Contrary to conventional opinion, military solutions are often more > permanent than negotiated ones. (The solution to Hitler was a military > one, as was a unified Vietnam for Hanoi). > > The Macedonian army is small potatoes, and not geared for guerrilla > war, as the NLA is. The single greatest advantage the 17,000-member > Macedonian army has over the rebels is a few combat helicopters, some > flown by Ukrainians. > > Macedonia's President Boris Trajkovski and military leaders have been > urged not to use helicopters against the NLA, else they risk NATO > intervening on humanitarian grounds to protect Albanian civilians. > > Macedonia is fearful NATO might do to it what NATO did to Serbia, > since NATO and the U.S. supported the KLA in Kosovo, even aiding and > training them. > > While NATO (and when I say NATO I also mean the U.S., Britain and, by > implication, Canada) doesn't consider itself an ally of ethnic > Albanians, it certainly has been, and still is, judging from the way > it opposes Macedonia > from protecting itself. > > When the NLA attacks villages and makes territorial gains, NATO and EU > diplomats negotiate a ceasefire - with the NLA keeping part of what it > gains, and Macedonia urged to show restraint. > > My advice to the Macedonian leadership would be to do whatever it > considers necessary to preserve their country's sovereignty. Emulate > Israel, which > > ignores all outside advice that conflicts with what Israel feels is in > its interests. Israel may often be wrong, but its decisions are > motivated by > > survival and its own interests, not to please foreign concerns. > > In the Balkans, the unappeasable cannot be appeased. In a Macedonian > context, that means Albanian rebels. > > Whatever it takes > > If it takes attack helicopters to establish authority over its border > territory, or to defeat insurgents, Macedonia shouldn't hesitate. The > West always prefers restraint to military action - unless western > (U.S.) interests are threatened. > > That NATO might shoot down Macedonian helicopters if they attacked > Albanian rebels verges on the inconceivable. Imagine the headlines: > "NATO at war with Macedonia." No way. > > Kosovo was an unnecessary war by NATO and the U.S. that destabilized > the > > Balkans and destroyed the myth of NATO as a defensive alliance and not > an offensive instrument. > > Historically, Macedonia has strong nationalistic pride, but is no > threat to neighbours and has no reputation of mistreating minorities. > Even if some > > Albanians feel alienated, Macedonia is not Serbia. It was generous > taking in refugees during the Kosovo war and co-operated with NATO and > humanitarian > agencies. > > Macedonia deserves better than to be subverted by militants for some > greater Albanian goal. But mostly it should learn from the past and > tell NATO to butt out, and do whatever is necessary to protect itself. The > Macedonians might find they have more allies than they think. > _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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