A session of the Macedonian parliament, which was expected to introduce a "state of war", has been delayed. Intense international pressure had been put on Macedonia not to go ahead with the declaration, amid fears that it could push tensions between ethnic groups to breaking point. A "state of war" would have given the Prime Minister the power to rule by decree.
Earlier today, the Macedonian army resumed its offensive against ethnic Albanian rebels in the north of the country. NATO Secretary General George Robertson warned that Macedonia "is on the brink of real trouble" as it struggles to contain an ethnic Albanian rebellion in the north of the country.
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski is consulting the security forces and political parties about declaring a state of war today. "This is a time of real crisis," said Robertson, as the Macedonian army pounded guerrilla positions with tanks, helicopters and artillery just 25km to the north of Skopje.
"Our message is that the people of this country must pull back from the brink before further disaster which will hit everybody," said the alliance chief after meeting President Boris Trajkovski, Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and leaders of political parties. "There must be a support for a grand coalition, a united front against violence," he stressed.
The leader of the only ethnic Albanian party in Macedonia's ruling coalition said that his party would leave government if such action was taken. "If they proclaim a state of war, we don't want to stay in the coalition. We are against a declaration of state of war. We refuse to militarise the crisis," DPA leader Arben Xhaferi told reporters.
The Macedonian army has reportedly killed 20 ethnic Albanian rebels during fierce fighting in the north of the country. Ethnic Albanian guerrillas have been under heavy fire in villages which they seized near the northern city of Kumanovo on Thursday. They have launched a second offensive near Tetovo, where violent clashes took place in the last bout of fighting in March.
Javier Solana, European Union Foreign Policy High Representative, has warned Macedonian leaders of the dangers of declaring a state of war. "Rather than talking about a state of war, what we have to do, among all of us, is to make efforts to declare a state of peace," said Mr Solana. He said that he doubted that the government would win the two-thirds majority in parliament which is needed to declare a state of war.
