U.S. secretary of state assures Macedonian president

U.S. Secretary of State Powell: Supports Macedonian government

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Macedonia's president Saturday that the United States and its NATO allies "would be ready to assist in improving their military capabilities where necessary" as the violence continues between ethnic Albanian rebels and Macedonian security forces, the State Department said.

During Powell's 20-minute phone call, he told President Boris Trajkovski that NATO was "doing all it could" along the border between Kosovo and Macedonia.

He also said the United States and its allies would be ready to assist in "supporting their efforts to bolster democracy in a multiethnic state," said a State Department spokeswoman.

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Powell reiterated President Bush's policy toward Macedonia and the statement the president issued Friday evening, the spokeswoman added. In that statement, Bush condemned the violence, voiced support for the Macedonian government's efforts to "uphold democracy," and urged all those who hope to bring about political change "to work through the democratic political process."

Powell also strongly condemned the violence in his call to Trajkovski, and expressed support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia, the spokeswoman said.

"He deplored and condemned the actions of the extremists, supported the efforts to uphold democracy and the rule of law and applauded the actions to uphold the rights of all ethnic groups," she added.

Powell spoke with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice, Bush's national security adviser, Saturday, the spokeswoman said. He also spoke with NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, the supreme allied commander in Europe, and the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana.

The increased diplomatic activity reflects the administration's concern that the fighting along the border could escalate and become another war zone.

"We are concerned," said an administration official who did not want to be identified. "We are doing everything we can diplomatically."

In his statement Friday night, the president said the United States is already providing surveillance information to the Macedonian government and that the Defense Department is sending several small, unmanned spy planes, called "Predators," to assist in monitoring the border.

The "Predator" is an unmanned "drone" vehicle which takes photos for transmission to ground stations. Known as a UAV or an unmanned aerial vehicles, the "Predator" contains small cameras that provide "real time" video surveillance of equipment and people on the ground.

The Pentagon announced Thursday that about 80 U.S. troops would be sent to the region in the next few days to operate the "Predator" spy planes.

Bush's comments Friday was the president's first comprehensive policy statement on Macedonia.

Macedonian President Trajkovski

"The United States and its allies have a longstanding commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia," he said.

An administration official said the White House hopes the president's statement has a "calming effect" in the region, and said the statement "makes it clear" to the Albanian extremists that "we do not support their bid to destabilize Macedonia."

"It obviously wasn't clear ... so now we are making it clear," said the official, who did not want to be identified.

Bush also saluted the work of the Macedonian government in trying to "uphold democracy and the rule of law."

"We encourage the government to act with restraint and to work closely with elected representatives of the Albanian community to address legitimate concerns, while taking the necessary steps to prevent further violence," said the president, who officials say is "closely" monitoring the situation.

CNN White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace contributed to this report.

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