Macedonia has extended a ceasefire against ethnic Albanian rebels despite the expiry of a noon deadline for the guerrillas to lay down their arms. It is seen as the latest sign that a new ethnic unity government in Skopje is striving for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Pressure to make peace has increased on the rebels, who are fighting for more rights for ethnic Albanians living in Macedonia and Kosovo. The NATO secretary general, Lord Robertson, speaking from the Albanian capital, Tirana, said NATO would give "military assistance" to the Macedonian government. He called on "extremists" to "lay down their arms and their uniforms and get into politics".
In Skopje, the President's office warned Macedonian troops would "respond to any provocations" from the rebels.
Eight countries in south-eastern Europe on Wednesday urged "Albanian extremists" to withdraw "without delay" from a 150 square mile area which they seized two weeks ago.