09 September 2003
State Department on Macedonia Security Crackdown
Taken Question: Sept. 8 State Department statement
Following is the official answer to a question taken at the September 8 regular State Department briefing; the answer was posted later in the day:
(begin text)
Department of State
Washington, DC
Office of the Spokesman
September 8, 2003
Question Taken at Daily Briefing of Sept. 8, 2003
MACEDONIA SECURITY CRACKDOWN
Question: Do you have a reaction to the Macedonian crackdown on Albanian militants in northern Macedonia this weekend?
Answer: As part of an ongoing Macedonian law enforcement operation, Macedonian security forces engaged on Sunday an armed group in an area northeast of Skopje. There are unverified reports of limited casualties, apparently on the side of the armed group. There was limited property damage.
The situation at the moment appears to be returning to normal.
We support legitimate and targeted action by the government against entrenched armed groups that seek to undermine peace and stability in Macedonia. We wish to see the lives and property of all civilians protected with a minimum of force. We will continue to work with the government and governing coalition parties toward these goals.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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