AMERICAN PEACEKEEPERS IN KOSOVO MOVE CLOSER TO BORDER WITH MACEDONIA








BELGRADE, March 3. /RIA Novosti correspondent Sergei Ryabikin/. American servicemen from the international peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) were introduced on Saturday into Debalde village (two kilometres from the Kosovo border) to prevent Albanian separatists from further crossing from that province into Macedonia, said the KFOR mission in Skopje.


	Debalde was used as a base by Albanians who occupied the northern part of Macedonia in the Tanusevci area to supply them with arms, ammunition and food. Experts estimate that there were about 300 Albanian militants in Debalde. American servicemen set up several points to monitor the region.


	Meanwhile, reports are coming in that Albanians have promptly moved their base from Debalde to Mijak village, a few kilometres to the east, and from there continue to supply their paramilitary units.


	The Macedonian armed forces, for their part, have sealed off the region around the community of Tanusevci, without so far making any moves. 


	President Boris Trajkovski of Macedonia said in Skopje that he had got guarantees from NATO that KFOR would block free movement of extremists across the border.