U.K. troops arriving in Macedonia

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, AUG 17. A NATO task force comprising several hundred British soldiers is expected to arrive in Macedonia later in the day to disarm ethnic Albanian rebels. The first group of paratroopers from a 120-strong Czech contingent has already arrived.

This is the sixth NATO mission in the Balkan region after the breakup of Yugoslavia. The British soldiers are not ``routine peacekeepers'' as they have orders ``to only collect weapons due to be voluntarily surrendered by ethnic Albanians''.

The present mission is only a short-term involvement as the NATO hopes to pull out after 30 days. Macedonians wonder what will happen after NATO pulls out, particularly if its mission is not successful.

Few in Macedonia believe that the ethnic Albanians will voluntarily give up all their arms. ``They may give up few surplus stocks for cosmetic purpose,'' a Balkan commentator said.

It is believed that sending troops to Macedonia is a test of NATO's credibility in a Balkan hot spot.

The divide between the Muslim ethnic Albanians and Orthodox Christian Macedonians has widened.

The NATO alliance has already deployed 40,000 troops in Kosovo and 20,000 in Bosnia and hopes that a further deployment of 3,500 men in Macedonia to collect weapons from the ethnic Albanian rebels will go toward resolving the political crisis.

The U.S. Government is now planning to launch a media campaign in Macedonia to mobilise public opinion. The Bush Government proposes to finance political advertising and lobbying to secure the approval of Macedonian legislators for a peace deal with the ethnic Albanians.

However, radical Macedonian legislators have vowed to oppose the peace deal structured by the European Union's Security and Foreign policy chief, Mr. Javier Solana and the NATO Secretary- General, Lord Robertson.

The U.S. Government even proposes to buy radio and television spots and advertisement space in Macedonian newspapers and is even considering direct mail to every Macedonian household. This is the first exercise of its kind in the Balkan region's history.

Critics feel that this is an interference in the domestic affairs of Macedonia. After the media campaign, the U.S. hopes to encourage local government officials and community leaders to lobby those members of the Macedonian Parliament who oppose the peace deal.

A Western aid donors' conference may be structured as an added sweetener. In the six months of conflict, nearly 200 people have been killed and over a lakh displaced so far.

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Section  : International
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