Radically-minded Albanians Demand Territory In Macedonia

Macedonia should become a federation or a confederation with the country's Albanians having their own territory, the leader of the people's democratic party of Albanians told a press conference in Tetovo. He specially stressed that Skopje should belong to the Albanian part of the federation because it has been considered the biggest city of Albanians in the world since 1965. According to him, the framework agreement on settling the crisis in Macedonia, which was coordinated and signed by representatives of major Macedonian and Albanian parties and of the world community, is not enough for satisfying the demands of Albanians. That is why they are not obliged to observe it. RIA Novosti reports that militants of the officially disbanded people's liberation army were present at the Tetovo conference which began with the performance of the Albanian anthem. Meanwhile, information appears ever more often in Skopje on new armed provocations being prepared by a certain Albanian national army to begin when a holy Ramadan month is over. In connection with this information, representative of the general staff of the Macedonian defence ministry Blagoe Markovski pointed out that the army is deployed in all key regions and fully controls the border zone. If armed provocations begin we will reply adequately, he stressed.