NATOs Future in Macedonia

Guerrillas surrendered even more than the agreed 3,300 weapons. Ethnic Albanian rebels also turned in almost 200 thousand mines, explosive devices and other munitions of war. The disarmament operation officially ends the military aspect of the Western-backed peace accord.

Now NATO is preparing a follow-up mission to protect civilian monitors overseeing the peace process after an official request from President Trajkovski. Germany has offered to lead the operation for the first six months. The Bundestag is to decide whether to extend the deployment of German troops to Macedonia later this week.

Robertson was in Macedonia on Tuesday for talks on the planned follow-up mission. His primary aim was to urge the Macedonian parliament to honour its end of the peace pact and ratify constitutional reforms designed to improve the civil rights of the minority Albanians. After two weeks of stalling, the parliament on Monday approved 15 proposed constitutional amendments, but by minimum majorities.

This is well short of the two-thirds margin they will need in the final ratification process. Nationalist deputies are now proposing to put the amendments to a referendum. This move could well derail the process because many Macedonians oppose concessions to the ethnic Albanians. A final vote on the amendments is due in 10 days.

The mood on the streets is tense, despite the cease-fire and the peace agreement. Hostility toward NATO troops is very apparent. NATO soldiers say they're well aware that the weapon harvest alone will not secure peace in Macedonia. It is unclear just how many weapons Albanian rebels may still have, hidden in their arsenals.

Meanwhile, NATO is divided on its promised support to the US on its war against terrorism. Support has been pledged but not every country within the NATO alliance is prepared to deploy troops. This, despite its rapid invocation of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.