MAK-NEWS 04/12/95 (M.I.C.)

From: "M.I.C." <[email protected]>

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

SKOPJE, DECEMBER 4, 1995 (MIC)

CONTENTS

[01] DENKO MALESKI AT UN: "THE U.S. MUST LEAD"

The ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to the UN Denko Maleski stated on Friday that the U.S. can not withdraw from the leading position in the world and the Balkans.

The motive was the routine meeting of the UN Security Council, which unanimously approved the 6-month continuation of the mandate for 1,100 UN soldiers, including almost 500 Americans. He also said that the EU "still lacks a joint stance for the resolution of the crisis situation on the Continent, while the U.S. can not withdraw from the leadership, because if a leading power does not lead, the rest cannot follow."

Without mentioning Greece, Maleski mentioned the question of the long-term dispute in relation to Macedonia's name and former flag, which Athens assessed expressed aspirations towards the northern Greek province Macedonia.

"After a certain period of time, which seemed like eternity to us, we received support from the UN and became its member, but under an odd name, we are addressed with the name FYROM, because one member opposes our name."

[02] IN COORDINATION OVER SUCCESSION

The State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Slovenia Ignjac Golob, stayed in Skopje last Thursday and Friday. During his stay, Golob was received in separate meetings by Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski, Defence Minister Blagoy Handziski and Finance Minister Jane Miljovski.

Crvenkovski and Golob exchanged opinions on the current situation in the region and the signing of the Dayton agreement. In this context, Golob informed about the decision of his Government to recognize FR Yugoslavia, whereby it is emphasized that this does not mean that the Slovenian stance in relation to the question of continuity and succession of the former SFRY is changed.

The meeting with Handziski focused on the part of the Dayton Agreement, the document "Agreement on regional stability," which, among the rest, treats the question of the embargo and the realization of the limit of the military potentials of FRY, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The two sides agreed to interpret this part of the Agreement as an immediate lifting of the embargo on the import and export of arms for Macedonia and Slovenia. Furthermore, they agreed that the limit of the military potentials of FRY, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina does not apply to Macedonia and Slovenia, and decided to jointly ask the international institutions for an interpretation of the two questions.

In the talks with Miljovski, it was jointly stated that the finance ministers of both countries have sent letters to the ministers of 35 countries, appealing to them not to allow the use of the foreign currency reserves of the FRY, until the question over the succession to the property between all former SFRY countries is resolved. As a result of that, we already have information from some countries that withdrawals from the foreign currency reserves will not be allowed. Civil suits are also being instituted in the competent countries in which there are foreign reserves. Slovenia and Macedonia have also taken a joint stance to regulate the succession to former SFRY, which is in their mutual interest.

[03] MACEDONIA IN SUPPORT OF BUDDINTER PRINCIPLES

In ten days in Zagreb, directly before the start of the peace conference in Paris, the representatives of Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will make another endeavor to coordinate their stances over succession to the former Yugoslavia, Makpress reports.

In the process of succession to the former SFRY, the Republic of Macedonia, as Radio NOMA reports, remains firm in its initial principles, based on the report of the Buddinter Commission. The radio also informed about speculation from Slovenian sources, according to which Macedonia and Bosnia support Croatia's stance over the recognition of the continuity of FR Yugoslavia.

[04] DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS RM-ISRAEL

The Republic of Macedonia and Israel will soon establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. The establishment of diplomatic relations was agreed at the Friday meeting between Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski and the delegation of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which, led by Nathan Neron, stayed on a working visit to Macedonia.

The meeting centered around opinions on the cooperation between the two countries, the situation in the region of the Balkans and the Near East, as well as some questions from the activities on a multilateral plan.

During its stay in RM, the Israeli delegation held talks and meetings with representatives of the Jewish community in Macedonia and the Association of Macedonian-Israeli friendship, and visited the "Nova Makedonija" editorial offices.

[05] NINE CANDIDATES IN ELECTION UNIT 114

A total of nine nominations were submitted to the election commission at the additional parliamentary elections in election unit 114, in the Skopje municipality of Center. The names are: Vladimir Golubovski from IMRO - Democratic Party, Nevait Ramadani - PDP, Nikola Lazarov - Democratic Party of Macedonia (based in Tetovo), Neazi Samet - Democratic Party of the Turks in Macedonia, Krste Jankovski - joint candidate of the Labour Party, the Macedonian People's Party and IMRO - MNDS, Amdi Bajram - PCER, Vasil Drvosanov - Alliance for Macedonia, Basti Dzemail - PDPA and the independent candidate Todor Petrov.

[06] FIFTY YEARS FROM FIRST CHURCH CONVOCATION

The great jubilee, the 50-year anniversary of the First Church Convocation, one of the most significant events in the history of the MOC was held this weekend, under the organization of the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

The festivities started with the Saturday evening mass in the Cathedral "St. Clement of Ohrid," where a formal academy was held as well, with a discourse on the significance of the jubilee and the performances of the Cathedral church choir.

The head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia Mr. Mihail and the Holy Synod head a formal service in the Cathedral "St. Clement of Ohrid," which was attended by high-ranking Macedonian officials and representatives of the diplomatic corps in Skopje.

[07] POLICE RAID IN KISELA VODA

An extensive police raid started in the Skopje suburb Kisela Voda at three o-clock in the morning, aimed at discovering new details linked with the assassination attempt on President Gligorov on October 3.

The action that was carried out by regular police units, in coordination with the traffic police, was conducted in the suburbs Kisela Voda, 11 October, Crniche, Przhino, Pintija and Pripor. During the day, the police searched some 3,000 garages, basements and shacks, a couple of thousand cars, while passers by were also stopped and I.D.

"Vecer" talked with some of the garage owners whose garages were searched, finding out that the police were interested in scissors for cutting wire, resellers of spare car parts, registered and "illegal" car services, and took samples from the sand in some cellars and backyards.

The police handed out a photograph of a person linked with the assassination attempt on President Gligorov to the citizens, which looks like the photo-fit of the buyer of the AMI from the Skopje used-car market. The photograph had the telephone no. 120-120 written on the back side, the contact-number people can call in case they have any information linked with the perpetrator.

The police action was ordered by the chief of the Investigation Department in the District Court in Skopje, who is directly in charge of the court investigation, judge Zdravko Vasilev.

MACEDONIAN PRESS REVIEW:

[08] "NOVA MAKEDONIJA": "GOOD AND BAD NEWS"

It is finally clear what Macedonia can expect after the signing of peace in Dayton, that is the impulses and contours of the colossal compromise that was made behind the iron fence of, until yesterday unknown, air-force base in Ohio. Dayton agreement means end of the war for the population in Bosnia, but the signing of the peace agreement brings good and bad news for Macedonia. First of all about the good ones: If peace is finally to be established in Bosnia, it will mean peace in the region and conditions for a stable development of our country without the permanent threat of spreading the war. The North- South corridor will be opened and our northern border will be de- blocked. So, there are no dilemmas about the positive impulses of the Dayton agreement on Macedonia and the region. However, nothing is that simple or black and white. In the last four years we ourselves and the economy have learnt how to live and manage in semi-war conditions, as a region that is near to a military base and as a part of a zone of high risk because of the possibility of spreading the war-fire. The U.S. weekly TIME, for instance, in its last edition puts Macedonia on the top of the list of possible countries and regions where U.S. troops might be sent after Bosnia, and our country is followed by the Golan Heights, Cuba, Taiwan, Caucus, Khurdistan... TIME justifies this high position on the list by saying that the "solution in Bosnia does not guarantee peace in Macedonia or Kosovo. The Serbs may re-start 'ethnic cleansing' and initiate another crisis."

After Dayton, it seems that Pandora's Box is slowly opening for Macedonia and one after the other all problems, disputable questions, and surprises are coming out. The lifting of the sanctions, for instance, surprised the gray economy, there arrived the problems with the Serbian Customs (we were surprised to be treated by the FR Yugoslavia as a "foreign country," as an independent state, and to be treated equally with the other states), Croatia has unexpectedly recognized continuity to FR Yugoslavia, and the question of succession has been opened with the fully legitimate efforts of the successor-states to inherit a part of the property of the deceased and the understandable efforts of the one who has all the keys to grab it all for himself. All this is the bad news from Dayton for Macedonia. The analysts knew that this news would be communicated to Macedonia shortly after the achievement of peace in Bosnia and stabilization in the region.

What is left for the small Macedonia now? Has it been cheated? Is the history on the fate of smaller Slavic tribes (although not so much as it was at the beginning of the century) repeating itself and will the big ones, Serbia and Croatia, be the ones to decide? What promises has Milosevic been given in Ohio for his concessions? Is our government familiar with it? Have we been promised anything (and what) in return for not making too much fuss about continuity and succession, and therefore, if for instance Macedonia's part "amounts" to $300 million, will it be offered less through various programs and projects? Did we expect Tudzman to have a feeling for Macedonia's problems or needs? With the purpose of getting Slavonija, he will by-pass far bigger ones than we are!

Finally, is it so much important for Macedonia to know about the events in Dayton and about the "bargain" between Milosevic and Tudzman under the sponsorship of the United States? In addition to the unclear interpretations in relation to Croatia's recognition of continuity and Slovenia's diplomatic recognition of the FR Yugoslavia, we will have to wait and see how much all this has to do with the division of the property. Nevertheless, if in spite of everything there happens a mutual recognition of all newly created states in the coming days, or immediately after the signing of "Bosnian peace" in Paris, it will be another evidence or indication that the problem of succession will be left for later agreements or even international arbitration. Macedonia's stance on the succession, at least as far as the official one is concerned, is written down in the constitutional law which says that "Macedonia, as a legal successor to the SFR Yugoslavia, undertakes all rights and duties emanated with the creation of the SFR Yugoslavia on an equal footing with all the other republics," and that in relation to the succession "it will decide on the rights and duties in agreement with all the other republics." Of course, it is very important for Macedonia to know if it has been a part of the Dayton or post-Dayton packet, but for now there are not any indications that any barter has been made on its behalf there.

Nevertheless, it is inappropriate to compare Dayton with Pandora's Box in the case of Macedonia, because the only thing that was left in the box after all evils had left was -- Hope. At least it (hope) is not hidden here....

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