Those who armed Albanian separatists do not now know how to handle them. The situation is out of control

Vladimir Putin

The sixth day of conflict dawned with plumes of smoke rising from the hillsides to the north of the town, which is resounding to the sound of mortar fire.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim, meeting EU foreign ministers in Brussels, said he hoped the fighting could be halted, despite every sign that the situation in Tetovo is getting worse by the hour.

'Tougher action' call

He said: "I believe that the EU with its measures, combined with those that the Macedonian Government is undertaking on the diplomatic, political and security level, will manage to resolve a very grave situation in my country."

Mr Georgievski criticised Nato troops in Kosovo

Anna Lindh, Foreign Minister of EU presidency holder Sweden, said: "We do not accept any violence and our support for the Macedonian Government is clear."

Mr Kerim will return to the Macedonian capital, Skopje, with the European Union's security and foreign policy chief, Javier Solana.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Yugoslav leaders are also meeting in Belgrade for talks on the crisis.

And Russian media quoted President Vladimir Putin as saying that the situation in Macedonia was out of control.

BBC correspondent Peter Biles says that many Macedonians are calling on their government to take tougher action against the guerrillas.

'Taleban in Europe'

But despite calling up the country's reservists, the security forces have not yet been able to end the violence.

Skopje has instead tried to shift the blame on to Western peacekeepers in Kosovo.

Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said the West was permitting the creation of "a new Taleban in Europe", and accused the US and Germany of refusing to act against ethnic Albanian rebels attacking targets in his country.

Mr Solana condemned attacks by ethnic Albanians

''You can't persuade anyone in Macedonia today that the government of the US and Germany do not know who the terrorist leaders are and what they want,'' he said. ''They could stop them acting.''

US and German forces head the K-For peacekeeping forces in the eastern and southern sectors of Kosovo which border on northern Macedonia.

The Russian president also appeared to attack the West's role in Kosovo.

"Those who armed Albanian separatists do not now know how to handle them. The situation is out of control," Vladimir Putin said.

Curfew

Mr Solana said in a BBC interview that he strongly condemned the attacks by ethnic Albanians.

He described the Albanian guerrillas as men of violence who must accept the democratic process and he praised the Macedonian Government for the restraint it had shown so far.

On Sunday, Tetovo fell under a government-imposed curfew.

The correspondent says that from now on, only emergency services will be allowed to operate at night.

But despite the fighting, residents appear to be getting used to the situation, with some shops and cafes reopening for business.