The political leader of Macedonia's ethnic Albanian rebels, said today the National Liberation Army (NLA) would hand in its weapons to a NATO task force.
"As far as the NLA is concerned, there will be no problem. All of the NLA's combattants will hand over their arms," NLA leader Mr Ali Ahmeti told a news conference at his headquarters in the rebel stronghold of Sipkovica, northwest Macedonia.
NATO transport planes flew into Macedonia earlier today with more troops and logistics for the peace mission to disarm the rebels who have been fighting government forces for more than six months. A fragile truce is holding.
Two British transport planes, carrying heavy logistical equipment and personnel on board, left Britain for Macedonia to supply the 16 Air Assault Brigade, which sent a first detachment of troops to Skopje on Friday.
Further such flights are expected at the weekend until a 400-strong British contingent has been set up in Macedonia to assess whether NATO's planned operation "Essential Harvest" will be possible.
The situation in the country was reported to be calm but the British-led advance team has a delicate task in evaluating whether the two parties to the conflict are serious about peace.
The disarmament plan is part of a peace deal reached between ethnic Albanian and Macedonian parties, aimed at bringing peace to the region after six months of ethnic conflict.
The advance troops, backed up by Czech and French forces, will assess the standing of a shaky ceasefire, which has theoretically been in place since July 5 but has suffered repeated breaches.
NATO's council will then decide whether to go ahead with the operation to collect weapons from the guerrillas.
AFP