Macedonia Albanians warn destabilization over North Albania issue

VNf

Unless Skopje recognizes Kosovo, ethnic Albanian analysts say, South Ossetia-style "unrest" is possible.

According to Beta news agency, the Democratic Party of Integration (DUI), a member of the ruling, VMRO-DPMNE led coalition, has asked that Macedonia recognizes Kosovo ahead of the UN General Assembly session, scheduled for later this month in New York.

Albanian analysts in Skopje, Beta reports, have said that should Montenegro recognize Kosovo before Macedonia does, "although there are more Albanians" in the latter country, this would mean that the ethnic group's parties in Macedonia have been "delegitimized".

"The deadline for Macedonia to recognize Kosovo is September 23, and if that doesn't happen, unrest like that in South Ossetia is possible," Lajm newspaper editor Nebi Merseli was quoted as saying today.

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=09&dd=17&nav...