21.  Albania and Macedonia signed Thursday several landmark agreements essential for improving troubled ties between the two neighboring Balkan states.

22.  Albanian Premier Fatos Nano started a landmark, two-day visit to Macedonia on Thursday in hopes of improving the troubled ties between the neighboring Balkan states.

23.  An influential Macedonian deputy prime minister resigned Friday, saying the hardline prime minister has failed to support the implementation of a peace plan in the troubled Balkan state.

24.  An armed conflict in Kosovo could quickly engulf neighboring Albania, Greece, Macedonia and other Balkan states.

25.  Balkan states, which stand to gain economically if they convince rich nations that they are committed to democracy, were more positive.

26.  Bosnia and Malaysia will discuss next week how Malaysia can help rebuild the war-torn Balkan state, Defense Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Saturday.

27.  Democracy in government and modernization in the economy remain distant goals for the Balkan states, which are left far behind their former sister socialist satellites to the north.

28.  He also said Germany will help the tiny Balkan state in its efforts to join the European Union.

29.  It also voted to lift the arms embargo on all Balkan states by next summer.

30.  It will also call on the international community and the U.N. to protect the safe haven areas in the Balkan state.