Politicians from both sides of Macedonia's ethnic divide locked themselves away together for the weekend under intense pressure not to emerge until they hammer out a deal to prevent a new Balkan war. European Union leaders told Skopje's fractious multi-ethnic government to address every possible issue, including major constitutional concessions to ethnic Albanians -- a key demand by Albanian guerrillas for ending a four-month insurrection. A declaration adopted at an EU summit in Sweden said that the 15-nation bloc, which has taken the diplomatic lead in the search for a peace deal, wanted "a true dialogue covering all issues on the agenda, including the constitutional issues."
The rebels, who have called a truce until June 27 while the emergency unity coalition thrashes out details of a disarmament plan, are waiting to see what role NATO will play in the process after calling for the deployment of troops throughout Macedonia. Diplomats expect the alliance to accept a government request for NATO help in disarming guerrillas and decommissioning their weapons, provided the rebels agree to the terms being debated.
"There is a clear logic for NATO to get involved," a senior Western diplomat in Skopje said, pointing to Macedonia's role as the main supply route for 36,000 NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo.
Bureau Report