NATO's supreme commander in Europe arrives this morning in Macedonia to decide whether to advise going ahead with a mission to collect surrendered arms from ethnic Albanian rebels, after a last-minute hitch when Macedonian forces and rebels exchanged sustained gunfire.
The supreme commander, US General Joseph Ralston, is to see the situation for himself and decide whether to advise the alliance's political masters to give the mission the green light.
But before such a decision could be taken, the ethnic Albanian rebels who have pushed Macedonia to the brink of civil war and Macedonian hardliners in the government will have to convince NATO they can respect a ceasefire.
Yesterday's clashes came despite earlier assurances by ethnic Albanian rebel leaders that they would surrender their weapons to NATO troops and observe the ceasefire.
The clashes erupted near the Albanian-dominated town of Tetovo, an area of high guerrilla activity, local witnesses and a Macedonian military source said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
AFP