Macedonia talks amid light clashes

EU and U.S. envoys Francois Leotard (left) and James Pardew have put new proposals on the table

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Macedonia's divided political leaders are holding a fifth day of talks amid scattered clashes between ethnic Albanian rebels and Macedonian forces.

The talks between leaders of the ethnic Slav Macedonian majority and minority ethnic Albanian politicians began on Monday under the auspices of the European Union and the United States in an effort to prevent full-scale civil war.

Seeking to meet some of the ethnic Albanian demands for greater rights and participation without jeopardising the former Yugoslav republic's territorial integrity, U.S. envoy James Pardew and European Union diplomat Francois Leotard have presented the two sides with a set of proposals on legislative and other reforms.

"It is up to Macedonia's leaders to engage now in intensive negotiations" that might bring an agreement "in the next few days," The Associated Press quoted Pardew and Leotard saying in a joint statement.

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The talks are being held against the backdrop of a tenuous NATO-mediated cease-fire that took effect last week.

It has largely been respected but AP said skirmishes were reported on Friday in northwestern Macedonia, a key rebel stronghold since the insurgency began in February, and the border with the neighbouring province of Kosovo. No casualties have been reported.

Macedonia's Defence Ministry said rebels were trying to smuggle fighters and weapons across the border from neighbouring Kosovo that also has an ethnic Albanian majority.

Ethnic Albanians make up between a quarter and a third of Macedonia's population.

The armed rebels say they are fighting for greater rights and more political influence but the Macedonian government accuses them of trying to grab land and split the state.

AP reported that a list of key ethnic Albanian demands that it had seen included a power of veto in parliament, official recognition of the Albanian language, ethnic quotas for key government posts and state institutions, and a guarantee that either the president or vice president of the country will be an ethnic Albanian.

Pardew and Leotard's peace plan proposes a census to establish the country's exact ethnic composition and early general elections in January.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and some United Nations agencies would help oversee reforms and elections, and a donors' conference would be organised to seek tens of millions of dollars to help kickstart the economy.