TWO MINES THROWN AT FRENCH NATO CONTINGENT IN MACEDONIA

SKOPJE, May 11 (Hina) - Unknown perpetrators threw two mines at the French NATO contingent in the Macedonian town of Kumanovo, said a spokesman for NATO in Macedonia on Monday. He stressed that NATO troops had the legal right to defend themselves. Several hundred refugees staged a rally on Monday in the makeshift camp of Stenkovec, after the police thwarted a refugee's attempt to leave the camp without permission Refugees demanded that NATO soldiers and Macedonian policemen of the Albanian origins should control the camp. Thanks to the mediation of the UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) representatives, the protest ended calmly and responsible authorities promised that more policemen of the Albanian descent would be among the camp's guards. On Monday, the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) High Commissioner for National Minorities, Max van der Stoel, visited Skopje and held talks with Macedonia's President Kiro Gligorov. He said Macedonia was coping successfully with problems, under the current circumstances when it was offering shelter to so many refugees, and added that the international community should help Macedonia as well. Louise Arbour, the chief prosecutor of the International War Crimes Tribunal (ICTY), is being on a three-day visit to Macedonia. NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana is to come in Macedonia on Wednesday. (hina) ms