WESTERN REPS IN SKOPLJE: DEBATE ON CONSTITUTION TO BE REOPENED

SKOPLJE, Oct 19 (Hina) - A delegation of western representatives who visited Skoplje on Thursday has been given assurances by Macedonian and ethnic Albanian leaders that they will continue a parliamentary debate on the ratification of the country's new constitution. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, and OSCE Chairman Mircea Geoana described their visit as successful. Solana said at a news conference the situation in Macedonia was developing in a positive direction with the country's political leaders having agreed to urgently open a debate on changes to the constitution, which are expected to be adopted by the end of this month. Solana said he hoped the parliamentary process would be completed by the end of the month. Robertson said he supported a statement on amnesty for all members of the National Liberation Army (ONA) who had surrendered their arms and committed no crimes against humanity, which were within the jurisdiction of the Hague war crimes tribunal. Geoana said the rest of OSCE observers would arrive in Macedonia in coming days to join the process of return of displaced persons and refugees to their homes. The entry of Macedonian security forces into occupied areas will take place simultaneously with refugee returns. NATO Commander for Europe Joseph Ralston, who was also in the delegation, said he had no illusions that all ONA weapons had been collected in NATO's Essential Harvest operation, but he added there were hundreds of thousands of weapons in the Balkans and NATO did not have the mandate to disarm all small armies in the region. (hina) rml