EU leaders meeting in Stockholm have given their support to the Macedonian government against the guerrilla campaign by ethnic Albanian guerrillas. The Swedish Prime Minister, Goran Persson, said that the EU would stand by Macedonia at this critical moment. Meanwhile, Albanian political leaders in Kosovo, which borders Macedonia, have urged the guerrillas to lay down their arms immediately. They also called on Macedonia to address the grievances of ethnic Albanians living there.
A spokesman for the KFOR peacekeeping force has said that between 150 and 200 civilians were injured overnight in a Macedonian artillery barrage against ethnic Albanian rebel-held villages near the Kosovo border. He said that the injured civilians crossed the border into Kosovo this morning seeking medical attention. KFOR said that Macedonian government forces had used machine guns, mortars and artillery in the bombardment. Ethnic Albanian rebels took control of several villages north of the town of Tetovo nine days ago.
