[ALBSA-Info] ANALYSIS-Worried Greeks see Balkan domino fears coming true

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

ANALYSIS-Worried Greeks see Balkan domino fears coming true

By Jeremy Gaunt

  
ATHENS, March 19 (Reuters) - Ask a Greek what he thinks about the flare-up of 
ethnic violence in Macedonia, his country's northern neighbour, and chances 
are he will say: "We told you so." 

The fiercest European opponents of NATO's bombing campaign of Kosovo are 
watching in horror as Balkan turmoil approaches ever closer to their own 
border. 

Fears in Athens that the West, particularly the United States, does not 
understand the Balkans and that supporting ethnic Albanians against Serbia in 
the 1999 war would only aggravate the problem appear to be confirmed daily by 
fighting in hills around Tetovo. 

"Unfortunately, our concerns and our positions...are being justified," Prime 
Minister Costas Simitis said last week as Macedonian troops battled ethnic 
Albanian guerrillas only a couple of hours north of the Greek frontier. 

Greece officially supported its NATO allies during the Kosovo war, despite 
vehement public opposition. But it argued strenuously against the bombing and 
insisted that separatists should not be encouraged to dream of border 
changes. 

Officials say that, as predicted, the wrong message was given -- that 
violence would bring Western intervention and effectively assist guerrillas 
to reach their goals. 

"We responded as an alliance, in a sense legitimising the violence of the KLA 
(Kosovo Liberation Army)," Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said. 
"Now they feel they have a carte blanche. 

"Whatever happens we cannot give in to this tactic." 

DEEP CONCERN 

Greece, which sees itself as the EU's natural political and commercial leader 
in the Balkans, is now repeating the Kosovo chant with Macedonia, albeit this 
time closer in tune with its allies. 

It has pledged political support to the government in Skopje and has embarked 
on a round of talks with its European Union and NATO allies on the crisis. 

There have also been undefined offers of assistance for its poor neighbour 
through various bilateral agreements. A meeting may take place next week 
between the Greek, Macedonian and Albanian foreign ministers. 

Simitis, however, has been quick to rule out any talk of Western intervention 
in the new trouble spot. 

"It is too soon even to raise the question," he said on Friday. 

But worry in Athens is palpable that the violence will spread and that 
Macedonia will be dragged into a civil war destroying what little political 
and economic stability has been built in the southern Balkans. 

"We are very much concerned and it is just the beginning of the crisis," said 
one senior Greek official who asked not to be identified, noting that to date 
the Macedonian fighting was only limited. 

"If there is this kind of panic and concern now, can you imagine if a 
situation develops like Kosovo."