Macedonia to resume debate on reforms

Macedonia is to resume the debate on reforms to boost the status of the ethnic Albanian minority following the weekend impasse…

Macedonia is to resume the debate on reforms to boost the status of the ethnic Albanian minority following the weekend impasse.

The debate is an essential part of the peace effort designed to end a six-month uprising by ethnic Albanian militants.

Parliament speaker Mr Stojan Andov had suspended the debate and set demands for its resumption.

Western envoys, including EU envoy Mr Francois Leotard, US Balkan advisor Mr James Pardew and NATO ambassador to Macedonia Mr Hansjorg Eiff had put pressure on Mr Andov to move the process forward.

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They had warned of risks to NATO's mission to collect 3,300 weapons, to be voluntarily given up by rebels, by late September. More than a third have already been surrendered.

Mr Andov had insisted on a presidential guarantee that everyone who fled the fighting could return home safely. Up to 120,000 people remain displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

After meeting with Mr Andov yesterday, Macedonian President Mr Boris Trajkovski gave "assurances that the existing problems would be overcome", a presidential statement said.

"For me that was enough to restart the process," Mr Andov said. He claimed the suspension had a "positive effect" to bring attention to the plight of refugees.

PA