Macedonia agreed today to end its bombardment of a village held by Albanian rebels in exchange for a rebel withdrawal brokered by European envoy Mr Javier Solana.
Mr Solana, who has spearheaded Western efforts to wrest the tiny Balkan state from the brink of civil war, said a ceasefire had been agreed which should ease the pressure on peace talks that hit deadlock last week before the army began its assault.
"There's a ceasefire here, it's good it is agreed, Skopje is not under threat," Mr Solana said. "Political dialogue should now continue," he added.
State radio quoted the Macedonian Interior Minister as saying the army, which launched the attack as part of a risky government bid to seize the upper hand, had secured victory in the strategic village and had almost wiped out the guerrillas.
Government sources said the bombardment with helicopter gunships, tanks and artillery had been halted for what they said was an as yet unspecified period, intended to allow the terrorists to either leave Aracinovo or surrender.
But a diplomatic source said the rebels had already agreed to leave the village, which international monitors would turn into a demilitarised zone, and would be escorted to other parts of northern Macedonia which they control without being disarmed.
Diplomats had feared that if the Macedonian assault on Aracinovo was not stopped and progress made on the political front by Monday's EU deadline, the rebels might resort to major attacks that could lead the two sides into all-out war.