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A British soldier from the second Paratroop regiment watches vehicles file past as he prepares to leave Macedonia, at an army base near Skopje, October 1, 2001. NATO's operation "Essential Harvest" to collect arms from the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army ended successfully last week gathering 3,800 weapons from the rebels. REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

MIA

Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Buckovski in the statement made for the Program in Macedonian Language on Deutsche Welle Radio expressed his surprise from the reactions of the Albanian officials regarding his request to investigate the existence of terrorists' training camps in Albania.

According to Minister Buckovski, his official visit to Tirana and the raising of this open issue aimed to "increase the confidence between Macedonia and Albania."

"In that moment, during the talks with my host Pandeli Majko - the Albanian Defense Minister, I did not feel that this issue could provoke such reactions," Buckovski said, adding that "the good neighborly relations could be built only if all issues are discussed openly."

He reiterated that he accepted with pleasure the statement made by Majko that "he was ready to conduct investigation, with the international presence of OSCE, NATO and Macedonian representatives, in all those disputed places believed to be training camps."

In his statement for Deutsche Welle Minister Buckovski points out that "the nervousness indicates that the Albanian colleagues are not ready yet to discuss openly the sensitive issues.

AP

By Misha Savic
Associated Press Writer
Monday, October 1, 2001; 9:24 AM

SKOPJE, Macedonia Macedonia's government accused ethnic Albanian militants Monday of shooting at police in the country's volatile northwest despite a recent, NATO-conducted disarmament.

No one was injured in the most serious flare-up in weeks, police spokesman Viktor Sutarov said, adding that Macedonian police officers returned fire from their targeted checkpoint on the outskirts of Tetovo, the country's second largest city.

The main police station in Tetovo also came under gunfire that hit sandbags placed around the station for protection.

A peace monitor of the European Union Monitoring Mission, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that gunfire could be heard there until dawn, but could not provide further details.

An ethnic Albanian rebel commander, also speaking on condition he not be identified, said the shooting was a "provocation" by Macedonian government forces.

Ethnic Albanian rebels took up arms in February to fight for broader rights. Macedonian hard-liners still contend that the militants, who have disbanded, want to divide the country and control the mostly ethnic Albanian-populated northwest.

James Pardew, the top U.S. envoy for Macedonia, was expected to arrive in Skopje to urge the majority Macedonians to implement the peace accord signed Aug. 13.

Under the peace deal, the ethnic Albanians were to end their insurgency while Macedonians must grant the sizable minority nearly a third of Macedonia's 2 million people more rights and greater political influence.

A NATO mission has collected some 3,400 weapons from the rebels who officially disbanded their guerrilla force, known as the National Liberation Army. The Macedonian-dominated parliament is yet to adopt the promised legal reforms and pledge amnesty for the rebels.

But Macedonian parliament speaker Stojan Andov announced Monday that he would not convene the Oct. 5 parliament session unless ethnic Albanians clarify the whereabouts of 14 missing Macedonian civilians.

"This is a request from people whose loved ones are missing and their fate remains unknown," Andov said.

The government's missing list comprises 13 Macedonians and 1 ethnic Albanian, all civilians allegedly abducted from their homes or vehicles or while working on farm fields. The International Committee of the Red Cross has 20 listed as missing 14 Macedonians and 6 ethnic Albanians.

Meanwhile, there was talk of reconvening parliament to discuss putting the peace accord to a referendum, a move that could derail the peace process because most Macedonians oppose giving ethnic Albanians more rights.

But the session was postponed until Monday evening because not enough deputies showed up.

AP

By Misha Savic
Associated Press Writer
Monday, Oct. 1, 2001; 3:09 p.m. EDT

SKOPJE, Macedonia Ethnic Albanian rebels must clear up the fate of civilians missing in the six-month conflict before lawmakers will implement more provisions of a fragile peace accord, the speaker of Macedonia's parliament warned Monday.

Stojan Andov spoke after meeting with the relatives of 13 Macedonians and an ethnic Albanian allegedly abducted from their homes and farms in the volatile northwest of the country. The International Committee of the Red Cross has listed 20 as missing 14 Macedonians and six ethnic Albanians. The rebels insist they are holding no hostages.

"I will be compelled not to convene the national assembly ... as long as civilians are kept (as) hostages," said Andov, a Macedonian, referring to the crucial session tentatively scheduled for Friday on broadening the rights of the ethnic Albanian minority.

The issue could derail implementation of the Western-brokered peace deal signed last month by leaders of majority Macedonians and ethnic Albanians. The accord aims to end a conflict that began in February and has killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands.

Under the peace deal, the ethnic Albanian rebels were to end their insurgency while Macedonians must grant the sizable minority nearly a third of Macedonia's 2 million people more rights and greater political influence.

The rebels have handed over some 3,400 weapons to NATO troops and declared their National Liberation Army disbanded. The Macedonian-dominated parliament has yet to adopt the promised legal reforms and pledge amnesty for the rebels.

Andov, however, insisted the rebels "have not disbanded." He also said the rebels were still holding hostages. "We need to have the people released, not just their (rebel) denials that they hold nobody," Andov said.

The authorities also accused ethnic Albanian militants of shooting overnight at police near the northwestern city of Tetovo, the country's second-largest city.

No one was injured in the most serious flare-up in weeks, police spokesman Viktor Sutarov said, adding that Macedonian police officers returned fire. The main police station in Tetovo also came under gunfire that hit sandbags placed around the station for protection.

A European Union peace monitor, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that gunfire could be heard there until dawn, but could not provide further details.

An ethnic Albanian rebel commander, also speaking on condition he not be identified, said the shooting was a "provocation" by Macedonian government forces.

Also Monday, James Pardew, the top U.S. envoy for Macedonia, arrived in Skopje, the capital, to help keep the peace process on track.

A police statement claimed that guards on the western border with Albania captured two Albanian nationals trying to smuggle 22 AK-47 rifles and ammunition into Macedonia over the weekend.

Meanwhile, parliament convened to discuss putting the peace accord to a referendum, a move that also could derail the peace process because most Macedonians oppose giving ethnic Albanians broader rights.

MIA

Ruud Lubbers, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, expressed hope at today's press conference that the Macedonian Parliament would soon adopt the Framework Agreement, which, as he said, "will represent a basis to have a successful donors' conference on October 15."

As UN High Commissioner for Refugees, I support all political efforts. I think that the new NATO mission, although smaller, is still very useful," he said.

He underlined that the UNHCR is focusing on the regions with ethnically mixed population. As he said, the UNHCR teams have so far visited 61 of 95 villages.

"Most of the displaced persons are Macedonians, and they, like all other citizens, are entitled to assistance and protection from the UNHCR. We are doing this in a very practical manner. We go to the villages together with other organizations and we will carry out projects for reconstruction of the houses and certain public buildings. In that context, we want to be partners with these people and we want to show them that they could rely on us," Lubbers said.

Regarding the number of NATO soldiers that are to be deployed to Macedonia within the "Amber Fox" operation, Lubbers said that these troops were sufficient. These NATO troops should assist the trust-building in regard to the returning of the displaced persons to their homes," Lubbers said, adding that the situation would improve if as many persons as possible return to their homes.

Lubbers called the donors to cover the gap of eight million dollars, needed for assisting the displaced persons to return to their homes.

During his one-day visit to Macedonia, UN High Commissioner for Refugees met with President Boris Trajkovski and Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski.

INTERVIEW: Standartnews, Ursula Zeiler-Albring.

The German press presents your country as a guarantor of stability in the Balkans, says Ursula Zeiler-Albring, Ambassador of Germany to Bulgaria.

- Your Excellency, you were the first ambassador to congratulate the new Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. May this be regarded as emblematic for the relations between Bulgaria and Germany or was it just part of the protocol?

- To me it was quite natural, but at the same time it was a pleasure and a great privilege to convey the greetings and congratulations of the Federal Chancellor to the new Prime Minister of a country like Bulgaria that has such a long history of good and close relations with Germany. Premier Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and I share the opinion that we have to keep our bilateral relations on the same high level, and make them even closer whenever it is possible. There is a lot of unexplored possibilities, primarily in the economic sphere. This applies as much to the Bulgarian companies exporting their products to Germany, as to the German firms that have to "discover" Bulgaria as an attractive place for investments.

- In the last two years, less and less official delegations from Bulgaria visited Germany. The same is valid about Germans coming here. How would you explain this?

- I will certainly disagree with it. Hardly a week passes when a German delegation, sometimes even two or more, do not visit Bulgaria. The thing is, however, that not all of these visits come into the focus of public attention. To my mind, this is a good sign, for it shows that our relations are normal. If we get used to the idea that the exchange is active, individual visits will not be seen as sensational.

- How would you assess the role of Bulgaria in the region?

- If you were following how the German press has been covering the conflict in Macedonia during the recent weeks, you have probably noticed that Bulgaria was presented as a guarantor of stability in the Balkans. The attainments of Bulgaria in foreign policy in recent years is just another confirmation to this. I mean the decision of the EU to start the negotiations on the integration of Bulgaria and lifting the visa regime for private trips of the Bulgarian citizens to the so-called Schengen countries.

- After the terror attacks on the USA will the relations between Germany and Bulgaria be put on a new basis, especially when it comes to terrorism combat?

- For sure all European countries will close ranks to fight the international terrorism. These outrageous acts of terror in the USA demonstrated in the most dramatic way how urgently should we take joint action. This, though, does not underrate our close political, economic and cultural contacts.

- Will Germany reconsider its stand as regards the enlargement of NATO?

- The question about the second round of NATO enlargement will be resolved at the Prague summit in 2002. The membership is not the matter of political will only. It is also connected with some preliminary steps of the aspiring countries.

Lilia Popova
(MG)

Standartnews

Russia planned to pay off its debt to Bulgaria by the world's best anti-aircraft systems.

The military from our anti-aircraft defense destroyed a missile in flight by another missile, Colonel Vanyo Stoitsev, commander of the Dimitrovgrad anti-aircraft brigade announced especially for 'Standart'. Actually, this is the anti-aircraft defense the USA wishes very much to build, the colonel explained. His divisions displayed perfect skills at the Shabla shooting ground, where the largest-scale army exercises ended. From 1983 on we destroy the missiles only by direct hits, Stoitsev specified. His brigade is armed with 'Cub' missiles. Officers say that they are like perfect hunting dogs. If such a missile intercepts a plane, the latter is doomed. The missile destroys it at a distance of up to 24 km and height of up to 14 km. Some time ago the Russians meant to settle their debt to Bulgaria by the 'Buk' anti-aircraft systems, but the negotiations were foiled through our fault, informed sources said. For the time being 'Buk' are the world's best anti-aircraft missiles and have no analogue as yet. Technologically, the 'Buk' missiles are a decade ahead, experts explained.

Evgeni Genov
(SB)

News.bg

Speaking for the Bulgarian National Radio, the Chairman of the Bulatom Company Ivan Hinovsky said that the allegation that physical persons could enter Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant is absurd. According to him, Bulgaria should direct its efforts to develop a strategy for a proper safety level for the third and fourth units of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant and extending their exploitation term after 2006 as well as a strategy for the modernization of fifth and sixth, which would be the only way for Bulgaria to keep its position as energy center of the Balkans.

News.bg

Bulgarian Army land forces will not increase their alert extend, since threats for National Security of Bulgaria apropos the expected strikes against Afganistan do not exist, Bulgarian Army land forces commander Gen. Kiril Tsvetkov announced. He explained that a variant for the actualization of plan 2004 for the reform in the army has been under consideration. According to the plan, Bulgarian Army land forces personnel must be cut by about 12,000 people in this year. He also said that land forces would be restructured in active reserve troops including fighting-efficient and NATO-compatible troops and would be capable to cope with a middle-intensity military conflict. As Gen. Kiril Tsvetkov said, land forces are equipped with T-72 soviet tanks, and this would postpone modernization of the land forces for after 2015.

News.bg

Nine heads of state would take part in the meeting of countries - candidate members for the NATO scheduled for 4 and 5 October in Sofia. Among the participants would be Secretary-General of NATO George Robertson and the Supreme Commander of the European troops of the pact Gen. Joseph Ralston. The former National Security Advisor of the American President the political scientist Zbigniew Bzeczinsky would also attend the forum. The meeting would take place in the National Historical Museum in Boyana, the President Petar Stoyanovs press-secretariat announced. There would be increased security measures during the meeting because of the attacks in the USA.

News.bg

The visa center to the Russian embassy started functioning today, the Minister Plenipotentiary to the Russian embassy Andrey Shvedov said. According to him, the introduction of visas between Bulgaria and Russia would not make obstacles for the relations between the two countries, but would make business and trade contacts more difficult. Business hours of the Russian embassy will be between 9 and 12:30 AM, and visa applications would be considered within a week.

BTA

Sofia BTA - October 1, 2001

Bulgaria: Ground Troops To Be Cut by 'Nearly' 30 Percent, Restructured in 2001

Defense Ministry Will Also Sell Tanks.

The Defense Ministry is to put 189 tanks on sale. The tanks are in working order, but the Ground Troops will not need them after the reform is completed, General Kiril Tsvetkov, commander of the Ground Troops, told a news conference yesterday. He also said that he did not know of any potential buyers for the tanks or other tracked vehicles. Defense Ministry experts will start seeking buyers. Only T-72 tanks will be used by military units and old equipment will be replaced.

Recently Defense Minister Nikolay Svinarov said that the ministry would modernize its MiG-29 aircraft and then sell them to raise money to buy F-16 fighters.