FYROM strikes deal seen as crucial for peace

SKOPJE (Reuters) - The coalition government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) yesterday adopted a long-delayed deal handing more powers to local councils, a crucial part of the 2001 peace accord granting greater rights to the ethnic-Albanian minority. The agreement, unpopular among many in the Slav-Macedonian majority, should give the country's 500,000 Albanians more control over municipalities where they form a majority. It represents a final step in implementing the NATO-brokered deal that ended seven months of clashes between government security forces and ethnic-Albanian rebels three years ago.

Turkish appeals court orders new trial for Kurd lawmakers

ANKARA (AP) - An appeals court on Wednesday ordered a new trial for four former Kurdish lawmakers convicted of links to outlawed Kurdish rebels, ruling the four did not receive a fair trial in a previous retrial earlier this year. Leyla Zana and three other former Kurdish lawmakers were released from prison last month after prosecutors asked for a retrial, citing procedural violations in their earlier retrial. The former lawmakers had served 10 years of their 15-year sentence and will remain free during their retrial.

Israeli Vice Premier Ehud Olmert said yesterday he was encouraged by meetings with Turkish leaders during a mission to smooth relations after Turkey's prime minister accused Israel of engaging in state terrorism against the Palestinians. Olmert said that in meetings with Turkish leaders he was «reassured of the continuity and the stability of the friendly and warm relations.» Turkish officials, however, were far more low-key. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul did not comment on relations with Israel after his meeting with Olmert and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was out of town on vacation. Turkish officials insisted Erdogan's absence was not a snub but due to scheduling conflicts. (AP)

The Republic of Montenegro, marking another step toward independence from Serbia, yesterday unveiled its new flag - a banner that dates back to its days as an independent kingdom. Instead of the red-blue-white flag it has used since 1945, the flag raised in front of the republic's Parliament is red with a golden coat-of-arms depicting a two-headed eagle under a royal crown and carrying a shield with an engraved lion. The flag was last used before 1918, when Montenegro was an independent kingdom. (AP)

The UN mission in Kosovo has failed to ensure even basic standards of human rights in Kosovo, the province's ombudsman said in a report published Wednesday. The human rights report by Ombudsman Marek Antoni Nowicki said that despite more than five years of UN oversight, much work still needed to be done «to achieve even a minimum level of protection of rights and freedoms in Kosovo.» (AFP)