Macedonia on Tuesday marked the 12-year anniversary of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) which in 2001 put an end of six months of armed conflict between Macedonian forces and Albanian guerilla.

The vice-prime minister for the implementation of the OFA, Musa Xhaferi, on Tuesday said the accord played its main role -- to bring peace.

"OFA opened space for integration of all communities that before were marginalized. As a compromise, maybe with no side satisfied completely, the accord created model without discrimination, solved the violence and through dialogue enabled us to reach the European values," Xhaferi added.

However, it was noticeable that the anniversary was marked only by Albanian members of government.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) called on all communities in the country to continue respecting the agreement.

"At the time it was a victory of reason and dialogue over conflict. Today it stands as a proud milestone marking an essential process of integrating society and building a truly multi-ethnic, modern state," said Acting Head of Mission Ambassador Marianne Berecz.

The OFA introduced a large number of rights for the Albanian minority as well as the other minorities.

The agreement -- supported by the European Union and the U.S. -- provided for the dismantling and disarming of Albanian rebel organization NLA. It also introduced changes in the constitution by naming all communities equal.

Macedonia is a country of about two million inhabitants, a quarter of which are members of the Albanian ethnic community. About 65 percent are Macedonians and the rest are Serbs, Turkish, Roma and others. Endi

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