Security fears delay Macedonia talks

Western mediators are backing the talks

Talks between ethnic Albanian political leaders and representatives of the Macedonian Government have been delayed because of security concerns.

Western mediators say the talks will now take place on Saturday in the south-western town of Ohrid instead of Tetovo in the north.

Tetovo, which has a mostly-Albanian population, was the scene of fierce fighting this week before Nato and the European Union managed to re-instate a broken ceasefire.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Nato Secretary-General George Robertson are in Macedonia to encourage the two sides in their negotiations.

However, a BBC correspondent in the capital Skopje says that the final points still under discussion will be hard to resolve - most notably the status of the Albanian language, and a restructuring of the police force.

In New York, the United Nations Security Council has expressed concern about the dangers of Albanian rebels receiving supplies from neighbouring Kosovo.

Russia led calls for controls on the movement of arms in the region. "It is now absolutely essential for the international presence to take effective steps immediately in order to halt the expansion of Albanian extremism out of Kosovo," said Russian delegate Gennady Gatilov.

The government was threatening an offensive

The rebels had faced an ultimatum from the government to pull back or face an all-out assault.

Under the ceasefire deal, however, they withdrew on Thursday afternoon from areas around Tetovo, 40km (25 miles) north of Skopje, which they had occupied since an earlier ceasefire was established on 5 July.

Western negotiators welcomed the move. Mr Robertson said: "Nato is poised to take the guns from the insurgents. When a political agreement has been reached, when there is a sustainable ceasefire, the Nato troops will come."

But despite the apparent renewal of the truce, a rebel commander near Tetovo has warned that his forces might not be able to respect the ceasefire.

Commandant Leka, a 35-year-old veteran of campaigns in neighbouring Kosovo, said his men had moved into nearby villages to protect ethnic Albanians because Macedonian residents had been given guns.

And in a move likely to make the atmosphere at talks more difficult, the Macedonian Government has charged rebel leader Ali Ahmeti and 10 other militants with "crimes against humanity".