[ALBSA-Info] Faltering start to Macedonia inter-ethnic talks

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Faltering start to Macedonia inter-ethnic talks

By Kole Casule

  
SKOPJE, April 2 (Reuters) - Macedonia's political leaders began talks on 
Monday to address ethnic tensions but the process got off to a poor start, 
with a boycott by the main Albanian opposition party and Slav protests 
against concessions. 

President Boris Trajkovski said he presented a document which formed the 
basis for "more concrete talks" and asked political party leaders to 
reconvene in a week with proposals for addressing the grievances of minority 
ethnic Albanians. 

"Although there are differences, the continuation of these talks should make 
progress towards the stabilisation of inter-ethnic relations in the country," 
Trajkovski told reporters after the meeting. 

But the Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP) refused to participate in the 
talks, which it is hoped will prevent a repeat of a month-long ethnic 
Albanian rebellion that was fuelled by anger at discrimination and 
mistreatment. 

"The PDP thinks this unofficial meeting is intended to daze the international 
community into believing that some talks are taking place in Macedonia and 
that dialogue continues," PDP spokesman Zahir Bekteshi told Reuters. 

"We want the meetings to be well prepared with a definite agenda and we want 
international mediation." 

European Union security chief Javier Solana arrived to support the talks and 
was met by nearly 100 Macedonian demonstrators pledging to defend the 
constitution, which Albanians say enshrines the dominant role of local Slavs. 

"We are here to prevent Mr. Solana and the likes of him changing our 
constitution," said Vladimir Nikuljski, 28. "It's one of the most democratic 
in the world." 

But Solana said the EU would not dictate terms to Macedonia's political 
leaders, nor play the role of mediator. 

"The European Union is here to help. But we are not here in a mediating 
function," Solana said after meeting politicians from both sides of 
Macedonia's ethnic divide. 

"The dialogue is among the leaders of this country... but it would help the 
situation if every citizen of the country feels comfortable with the 
constitution." 

FRAGILE COALITION 

Slav Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski's fragile coalition held together 
during the fighting but key partner Arben Xhaferi, leader of the main ethnic 
Albanian party, says he will quit the government if his community's demands 
are not met soon. 

Xhaferi sent his deputy, Menduh Thaci, to the talks. 

Ethnic Albanians, who account for roughly one third of the population, want 
to change the constitution which names Macedonian Slavs as the primary 
nation. 

They have also called for greater language rights and decentralisation of 
government. 

But Slav leaders fear a backlash from their own constituency if they concede 
too much. 

The Macedonian army said last week it had completed its operation to drive 
out rebels from their hillside hideouts. 

But security forces exchanged fire with a group of gunmen on Monday as they 
tried to enter a village in the hills above the northwestern city of Tetovo, 
Defence Ministry spokesman Georgi Trendafilov told Reuters. 

He said the gunmen tried to enter the village of Selce -- one of the 
headquarters of the guerrilla army --  via an unauthorised route and opened 
fire when challenged. The mayor of Tetovo accused the army of shooting an 
unarmed Albanian youth. 

Alarmed by the prospect of another major conflict in the Balkans, Europe has 
offered greater links with the EU and aid as a reward for making progress 
towards ethnic reconciliation. 

Slav and Albanian leaders have been invited to Luxembourg on April 9 to sign 
a Stabilisation and Association agreement, which is viewed as the first step 
towards EU membership. 

But Xhaferi says he will not attend unless genuine negotiations on the 
demands of ethnic Albanians are under way. 

European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten urged Macedonia's 
politicians to speed up the process. 

"A dialogue has begun and I don't think there's likely to be a better 
dialogue available so the sooner it makes progress the better," he told a 
news conference late on Monday.