The newly-appointed European Union envoy to Macedonia has reaffirmed that EU policy in the Balkans continued to exclude any political dialogue with ethnic Albanian rebels.
Going back on his comments earlier in the day, former French Defence Minister Mr Francois Leotard said: "I would like to clarify the fact that the position of the European Union has not changed.
"The Albanian-speaking guerrillas have no place in the political dialogue which should be conducted only with the legitimate representatives of the political parties", he said in a statement faxed to Reuters.
"My work in Skopje as permanent representative of the European Union in Macedonia will be totally based on this line".
Earlier today, Mr Leotard, speaking on Europe 1radio, sowed confusion in Brussels and Skopje by saying of the Macedonian government: "They have to speak with these guerrillas to try, with the leaders of this Albanian-speaking part of their country, to see that a consensus emerges and peace can be installed".
Western officials, desperate to prevent another Balkan war, have been trying to foster government talks with politicians representing minority ethnic Albanians, but have not said before that the armed rebels should be brought into any negotiations.
In Brussels, EU and NATO officials said Mr Leotard's remarks on Europe 1 radio did not reflect the official Western position, which rules out talks with the fighters.
They said he may have misspoken, mixing up rebels with the Albanian political leaders.
There is no change in the EU position, one EU diplomat told Reuters.
Mr Leotard, defence minister in Paris from 1993 to 1995, was appointed this week to deputise for EU foreign affairs chief Mr Javier Solana. He will try and help Macedonia end four months of fighting that has raised fears of another Balkan civil war.