MACEDONIA/U-S (S) BY DAVID GOLLUST/WASHINGTON
DATE=5/17/95
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-178969
TITLE=MACEDONIA/U-S (S)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE DEFENSE MINISTER OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF
MACEDONIA HAS APPEALED IN WASHINGTON FOR AN END TO THE GREEK
ECONOMIC BLOCKADE OF HIS COUNTRY. THE DEFENSE MINISTER -- BLAGOJ
HANDZISKI (EDS: PRONOUNCED BLAH-GOY HAN-GISKI) IS THE HIGHEST
RANKING MEMBER OF HIS GOVERNMENT TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO
WASHINGTON. A REPORT FROM V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST.
TEXT: THE MACEDONIAN DEFENSE CHIEF SAYS THE GREEK BLOCKADE IS
COSTING HIS COUNTRY MORE THAN 600-MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR --
AND IS CONTRIBUTING TO INSTABLILITY THAT COULD CAUSE THE BALKANS
CONFLICT TO SPREAD SOUTHWARD.
GREECE OBJECTS TO THE USE OF THE NAME MACEDONIA AND TO THE SKOPJE
GOVERNMENT'S USE OF A BURSTING SUN ON ITS FLAG -- BOTH OF WHICH,
IT ARGUES, USURP GREECE'S HISTORICAL HERITAGE.
MR. HANDZISKI, HEARD THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, APPEALED FOR U-S
HELP IN ARRANGING TALKS WITH GREECE -- SAYING ALL ISSUES WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE NAME MACEDONIA WOULD BE ON THE TABLE:
///HANDZISKI (INTERPERETER) ACTUALITY///
THE PROBLEM OF THE NAME COULD NOT FALL UNDER ANY
DISCUSSION. YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE INDENTITY OF A SINGLE
PERSON -- LET ALONE OF A WHOLE NATION. ALL THE OTHER
PROBLEMS WITHIN THE DISPUTE WITH GREECE ARE SOLVABLE
WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
///END ACT///
THE MACEDONIAN MINISTER, WHO HELD TALKS WITH DEFENSE SECRETARY
WILLIAM PERRY EARLIER THIS WEEK, SAID THE AMERICAN-LED U-N
OBSERVER FORCE IN HIS COUNTRY MIGHT HAVE TO BE ENLARGED -- IF
BALKANS FIGHTING CONTINUES TO ESCALATE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/LTJ/GPT
17-May-95 12:24 PM EDT (1624 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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