NATO undeterred by soldier's death

Ian Collins died after a slab of concrete was thrown through his vehicle's windscreen

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- NATO has declared that its weapons collecting mission in Macedonia will not be derailed by the death of a British soldier.

Ian Collins, 22, a sapper with the 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, was the first NATO fatality as a force of some 4,500 alliance troops began a 30-day operation to collect arms from ethnic Albanian rebels.

He was killed by a concrete block dropped through the windscreen of his vehicle from a bridge over a road near Skopje by a gang of anti-NATO youths.

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NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said: "Isolated irresponsible acts of violence will in no way succeed in compromising the stabilisation process."

"He died serving a just cause as a member of a peace mission aimed at restoring stability in this country."

Robertson called it a "deliberate act of violence which is absurd considering that NATO troops are in...Macedonia to assist the people and the government of that country in achieving a peaceful and lasting solution to the current crisis."

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UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been in contact with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski about the incident, Blair's Downing Street office said.

A spokeswoman said the two men held a 15-minute telephone conversation. "The prime minister emphasised the importance of there being an investigation and those responsible being brought to justice.

"President Trajkovski expressed deep condolences and stressed his commitment to a full investigation, and bringing those responsible to justice."

UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said it appeared that Collins died as a result of "mindless hooliganism rather than a concerted attack on NATO troops."

Hoon also said the tragedy would not be allowed to stop NATO's Operation Essential Harvest.

He said: "We remain committed to helping the people of Macedonia seize the opportunity for peace.

"We will insist that the Macedonian authorities act quickly to catch those involved, and our military police are offering every assistance to the investigation."

Iain Duncan Smith, the defence spokesman for the opposition Conservative Party, expressed his condolences to the soldier's family and called on the government to give a full explanation of what happened.

Collins' death is not the first among British troops in the Balkans this year. In April, a British soldier, serving with NATO's peacekeeping force in Kosovo, was killed when his armoured car struck a land mine near the Macedonian border.

Earlier that month, a British helicopter crashed near the town of Kacanik, killing the British pilot and co-pilot.

Task force commander Brigadier Barney White-Spunner, said: "The thoughts of every member of the Brigade are with Ian Collins' family and friends at this terrible time."