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American Morning

Majority of U.S. Embassy Personnel Ordered to Leave Macedonia

Aired July 27, 2001 - 11:12   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now the latest from Macedonia, where violence there is escalating. The State Department is urging Americans to use caution. The U.S. Embassy has closed and all non- emergency personnel have been ordered to leave Macedonia. Their dependents and other U.S. citizens are urged to follow suit.

For the latest on that situation, we go to Skopje, Macedonia, and that's where we find our Chris Burns -- Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, yes, about 700 Americans live here in Macedonia and the State Department is urging them to leave. The question is how many will leave, though the embassy personnel, those non-essential as well as their dependents are being told to leave. No numbers being given on them. But there are also members of the Peace Corps as well as other assistance organizations, contractors, so quite a number. And at the same time coming into Macedonia, some 50 U.S. Marines from the anti-terror unit in Naples.

So there is more help to guard both the U.S. Embassy as well as the embassy residents in the wake of the rioting that occurred on Tuesday night, rioting that affected not only the U.S. Embassy, but also the British and the German embassies.

A McDonald's was smashed. A British Airways office was also smashed. So that violence on Tuesday did raise concerns for the safety of Americans here in Macedonia. The question is will it happen again. Well, the State Department doesn't want to take any chances. There are peace talks going on right now, in part mediated by U.S. diplomat James Pardew. There is hope that they can find a peaceful solution. The rioting, of course, happened by ethnic Macedonians who were angry after they lost their homes around Tetovo in the latest fighting with ethnic Albanian rebels. They have been demanding their homes back and some politicians, including the prime minister here, have blamed NATO for being supposedly a friend of the rebels.

Of course, officials here have backed off on that. A lot of palliatives now from officials calling for calm. So perhaps things can stay the way they are. Perhaps the gunfire won't resume. Perhaps there might not be any rioting but the State Department doesn't want to take any chances -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Understandable. Thank you, Chris Burns in Skopje, Macedonia. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com