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CNN Live At Daybreak

Macedonia Violence: Western Embassies Become Targets

Aired July 25, 2001 - 07:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: The conflict between Macedonian forces and ethnic Albanian rebels have produced a new target: the U.S. and Western Europe. Angry mobs attacked embassies in Macedonia's capital yesterday, accusing the West of favoring the rebels.

And CNN's Juliette Terzieff joins us on the telephone now from Tetovo, Macedonia with the very latest for us -- Juliette.

JULIETTE TERZIEFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning, Colleen.

As you said, last night hundreds of Macedonian civilians rampaged through the streets of Skopje targeting Western businesses and several Western embassies. This morning, there are cleanup crews outside the German Embassy, the British Embassy and the American Embassy, where the protesters threw rocks and tried to break down the doors.

The American diplomats are saying that the embassy is closed for today, that they hope to reopen by the end of this week, and that, for the moment, everyone is lying low.

Now, monitors from the European Union, members of the International Red Cross and also members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were also targeted last night. Several vehicles burned and battered by protesters as they went through the streets. And all of those organizations are saying that although they will continue their operations trying to monitor the cease-fire and the status of civilians trapped in combat areas, that they will be restricting their movements until the security situation improves -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: All right, Juliette, thanks very much.

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