Nato soldiers collect more rebel weapons

Nato soldiers today gathered more weapons surrendered by ethnic Albanian rebels as part of a peace agreement granting greater minority rights.

The latest collection should push the weapons total toward the halfway mark of Nato’s mission to recover 3,300 arms from rebels.

Nato set up teams to take the weapons near the village of Brodec, about seven miles from Tetovo. Brodec was a rebel stronghold and site of a training base.

‘‘Our expectations are being met and we are moving forward at the pace anticipated,’’ said spokesman Major Barry Johnson.

The accord to end the six-month-old conflict calls for rebels to surrender the weapons and Macedonia’s parliament to enact constitutional changes granting ethnic Albanians greater political and language rights.

Ethnic Albanians comprise about a third of the nation’s two million people.

Although the peace process is edging ahead, officials are concerned about possible clashes once Nato’s mission is completed later this month.

The European Union is considering putting together a force to protect civilian monitors.

But other EU leaders have urged Nato to continue overseeing any possible military contingent in the former Yugoslav republic.

‘‘The situation is still fragile, so a further engagement is required,’’ said German foreign minister Joschka Fischer following an EU meeting on Saturday near Brussels.