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Macedonian Government Proclaims Unilateral Cease-fire
The Macedonian government proclaimed a unilateral cease-fire Sunday afternoon after five days of fierce fighting between Macedonian security forces and ethnic Albanian rebels, said reports from Skopje, capital of Mocedonia.
President Boris Trajkovski ordered government forces to stop shooting at 7:30 p.m. (1730 GMT) Sunday, a governmental official said to the media.
It is expected that the rebel National Liberation Army (NLA) may announce its cease-fire after emergent consultations with NATO 's envoy to Macedonia Pieter Feith and retreat to where they were before the peace deal signed on July 5.
However, explosions could be still heard around villages outside the capital.
The NLA and Macedonian army have been locked in fierce fightings since leaders of the rival sides initialed a peace deal on August 8. The conflicts brought about the heaviest casualties to both sides since last February's security crisis. The new cease- fire, if announced by both parties, will give green light to the formal signing of the peace deal on Monday.
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