Macedonian deal 'back on track'

The situation remains tense

Macedonia's roller-coaster peace talks have broken up, with Western diplomats saying a deal could be signed on Wednesday.

The Macedonian Government has now dropped demands for Nato guarantees that ethnic Albanian rebels will be quickly disarmed following an agreement.

This additional demand had earlier threatened to scupper the peace talks, despite agreement on what had been the divisive issues of the status of the Albanian language and the make-up of the country's police force.

Police have sealed off the talks venue

The Macedonians apparently now accept that Nato troops can only deploy after a peace deal has been signed.

Another shadow was cast over the talks when Macedonian police killed five alleged Albanian rebels in a raid in the capital, Skopje.

The BBC's Jonathan Charles in Skopje says that the situation remains tense and a peace deal won't automatically guarantee peace.

In a separate development, Macedonia's most senior ethnic Albanian official has resigned, saying that President Boris Trajkovski had snubbed him.

Iljaz Halimi, deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Albanians and the only ethnic Albanian member of the government's Security Council, said he had not been invited to the council's latest meeting to discuss the peace negotiations.

He said Mr Trajkovski "was evidently bothered by my being the only Albanian on the council".

Tuesday's dawn raid on the suspected rebel base in Skopje was the first clash in the capital in six months of fighting.

Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski said a rebel commander codenamed Teli was among those killed, and another five people were detained.

Ethnic Albanians said about 300 police arrived at about 0400 (0200 GMT) and also beat Albanians coming out of early morning prayers in a mosque.

Most of the fighting over the past six months has been confined to northern towns and villages, where the rebels have their strongholds, although the rebels have held some territory outside Skopje.

The rebels say they are fighting for better rights, but they have been accused of wanting to split some ethnic Albanian areas from the rest of Macedonia.

A force of 3,500 Nato troops is ready to be deployed in the country when a peace deal has been finalised.