NATO PROMISES MORE MEASURES TO PROTECT MACEDONIA








BRUSSELS, March 9. /From RIA Novosti correspondent Viktor Onuchko/. In the wake of recent incidents on Macedonia's border with Kosovo, the North Atlantic Alliance promised to take more measures to promote the country's security.


	A related statement was made in Brussels Friday at a joint news conference of NATO's Deputy Secretary General Sergio Balanzino and Macedonia's Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim. They were taking part in an extraordinary meeting of the NATO Council dominated by the developments on the Yugoslav border.


	The minister presented the Council with the Macedonian government's plan of protecting the country from Albanian extremists.


	Balanzino, who was presiding at the meeting instead of George Robertson, currently on a visit to the USA, confirmed NATO's obligation to help Macedonian government strengthen its security under the circumstances. The Council condemns the extremists, he said.


	Kerim said Macedonia insists on measures that would yield the desired results. Macedonia is not asking for other countries' assistance but seeking a better coordination with KFOR forces. According to him, Macedonia maintains good relations with all European countries members of NATO and they are rendering it sufficient military and technological assistance.


	When asked if the reaction to a minor attack of criminals could be exaggerated to the extent of a threat to the territorial integrity, the foreign minister pointed to a recent invasion of the Macedonian village of Tanusevci by extremists which was nothing else but a violation of that country's territorial integrity.