Russia issued a thinly veiled warning that a NATO operation to collect arms from ethnic Albanian rebels in former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia could act as an incitement to armed actions by Albanian extremists.
The alliance has undoubtedly assumed a great responsibility for what is happening in Macedonia and for the perspectives of ending the crisis there, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, referring to recent incidents involving Albanian rebels.
Citing the destruction Monday of a 14th-century orthodox ministry said that international actions such as the essential harvest arms collection operation must not appear as an encouragement of extremism and a de facto legitimisation of separatism.
Peace and stability can only be achieved by means of strengthening a multi-ethnic democratic society in a united and sovereign Macedonia, the statement said.

Russia has expressed serious reservations about the NATO operation, describing it as a palliative move unlikely to resolve the crisis in the region.

Bureau Report