MILS NEWS 29/02/96

From: "M.I.L.S." <[email protected]>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 29 February 1996

[01] WARREN CRISTOPHER IN SKOPJE

The new US Embassy premises in Skopje will be officially opened on 23 March 1996. On this occasion US Secretary of State Warren Cristopher will visit Macedonia and will attend the celebration, informed yesterday A-1 Television.

Unofficially, the first US Ambassador to Macedonia will be Cristopher Hill, who is expected to arrive in Skopje next month.

The opening of the premises coincide with the traditional American days in Macedonia which will begin on 4 March in Skopje. During the month of March several manifestations and promotions will take place. The Embassy will begin its diplomatic-consular activities, including issuing of US visas for Macedonians, the very next day.

[02] POSTPONED SOLUTION FOR THE NAME ISSUE

No details were announced after yesterday's meeting of Ambassadors Ivan Toshevski and Hristos Zaharakis in New York, except that the next meeting had been set for April.

Greek papers informed yesterday that the name issue is not expected to be solved soon.

As agency 'Makfax' reported, the daily 'Ta Nea' had pointed out that yesterday's meeting had lasted for a few hours only and that the mediator Cyrus Vance refused to explain whether it would be necessary for Skopje and Athens to make final decisions soon. That Zaharakis went back to Athens yesterday to consult with the Government about the next round of discussions was symptomatic for the paper.

The conservative daily 'Katimerini' unofficially informed that US insist that Athens and Skopje find a solution for the name during the spring, despite the internal problems of both countries.

The left wing daily 'Elefterotipia' described yesterday's discussions as futile. The article further read that despite the American suggestions to find a compromise in the shortest possible term, the negotiations had not made any progress. The reasons stated were 'the internal political pressure on the Simitis's Government and the disturbed political climate in Skopje'.

'Elefteros Tipos', the paper of New Democracy published an article on this matter titled 'New Delay with Greek Blessing', claiming that Athens had asked for the postponing. This paper claims that the Greek Government, after its fiasco in the dispute with Turkey on the island Imia, now has minimum possibilities for 'maneuvering' on the 'Skopje issue'. The article adds that the 'new Skopje Government is now taking an unyielding attitude as it has provided enough economy benefits with the Interim Accord.'

[03] GREAT BRITAIN WILL RESPECT THE EU DECISION

Charge d'ffires of the British Embassy in Belgrade, Ivor Roberts, gave a statement for the FR Yugoslav agency 'Tanjug' saying that Great Britain would establish complete diplomatic relations with FRY only after Belgrade recognizes the Republic of Macedonia. He expressed his hope that the condition will be fulfilled in the next few days, which would be greeted by the EU, and which would result in an immediate recognition of FRY by the EU.

This statement of Roberts denies the information of the Yugoslav media that after France, Great Britain and several other European countries will return their Ambassadors to Belgrade, without waiting for a unanimous decision of the Union to recognize Belgrade.

[04] PERRY-HANJISKI MEETING IN APRIL IN SKOPJE

The Commander of the US Army in Europe General William Crouch paid a visit to Macedonia yesterday and met with the Macedonian Defense Minister, Blagoj Hanjiski. They discussed the forthcoming third official meeting of the Defense Ministers of USA and Macedonia, which will take place in Skopje. Cooperation activities of the two Armies, scheduled for March and the second participation of the Macedonian Army in the maneuvers of the 'Partnership for Peace' initiative, planned for July, were also included in the talks.

Crouch and Hanjiski exchanged their opinions about the UNPREDEP mission to Macedonia, in the light of the last report of the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali, with emphusizes on the participation of the US battalion.

The meeting was also attended by Chief of Staff of the Macedonian Army, Trajche Krstevski, and by the Head of the US Embassy mission to Macedonia, Victor Comras.

[05] DIPLOMATIC BRIEFS

- Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov yesterday received letters of accreditation of the first Kingdom of Belgium Ambassador to Macedonia, baron Anr, De Viron. Gligorov said the event is a confirmation of the already established friendly relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the Kingdom of Belgium.

Belgian Ambassador was also received by the President of the Macedonian Parliament, Stojan Andov, who expressed his satisfaction with the support Belgium gave to Macedonia for joining European Organizations, and stressed the need for initiating a parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador De Viron in the talks with the Macedonian Premiere Branko Crvenkovski stresed the need to improve the bilateral relations, and mostly in the field of economy.

- Acting Russian Ambassador to Macedonia Iurij Petrovic Trushin passed a message of congratulations to the newly appointed Macedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski, from the Russian Foreign Minister Primakov.

Russian Minister had expressed his belief that the traditional friendly relations between Russia and Macedonia will develop even more in future. Minister Frchkovski said that, despite the mutual relations of the two countries are good, the cooperation in all areas should be expanded and improved.

[06] MORE REGULAR PAYMENT OF PENSIONS?

'The most important aim - to stop the finance deficit from the past years - had been partially accomplished in 1995, but the delay in the payment of the pensions is still a problem,' was said on yesterday's press conference of the Administration Board of the Macedonian Pensions Fund. It was informed that the Government has promised to deal with this problem and to reduce the payment terms during this year.

The positive steps taken to stabilize the Fund were stressed. The difficulties pointed out were the reduced fees paid from the salaries, due to the increased unemployment and to the enterprises' avoiding to pay these fees to the state.

There are 219 000 pensioners in Macedonia at the moment, for whose payment 55 million DM are needed. The average pension in 1995 was 5 518 denars, i.e. 63.7 per cent of the average Macedonian salary.

[07] THREE ANTHOLOGIES IN MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE

The Department of Macedonian and South-Slavic Languages at the University of 'St. Cyrill and Methodius' in Skopje presented part of their work with three anthologies:

'Macedonian Language in Public Communication', 'Macedonian Language from 1945 to 1995' and the 'Anthology of the Second Meeting of Young Students and Graduates of Macedonian'. Dean of the Faculty of Philology, d-r Ljiljana Todorova, pointed out the importance of these works for the international cooperation in the project 'Modern Changes in the Slavic Languages', and said they express the respect we owe to the late academician Blaze Koneski.

[08] MACEDONIAN BASKETBALL TEAM DEFEATED BY ITALIANS

Italian national basketball team won the match against the Macedonian national team yesterday in Goricia, Italy, with score 95 : 62. That was the fifth game of the Macedonian basketball players in the qualifications for the European Championship, which will take place in Spain in 1997.

MILS SUPPLEMENT

[09] The Drama of the Recognition

('Nova Makedonija', 28 February 1996)

One more session of the EU Council of Ministers was held, and neither did the Union normalize its relations with FR Yugoslavia, nor did Belgrade fulfill the only condition for that. The information from Belgrade are that the EU Ministers of the 15 Member Countries did not discuss the establishing of the diplomatic relations with Belgrade at all on their last session. Italian Minister and current President of the Council, Suzanna Anielli, once more clearly stated the reason: because Serbia did not fulfill the 'minimum' condition - the mutual recognition with Republic of Macedonia.

The dragging out of Belgrade is unclear from many reasons.

Of all the conditions stated in the Dayton Accord, for its 'returning in the international community', (recognition of all newly formed countries from the former Yugoslav republics and normalization of the relations with them, starting serious democratic internal changes, respecting the human and minorities' rights, cooperation with the Hague Court for War Crimes, etc.), the mutual recognition with Macedonia is the easiest to achieve. There are no serious problems between the two countries, the document on the normalization of the relations has been prepared (unofficially, it has been definitely agreed on two weeks ago) and is waiting to be officially signed.

To be more precise, it is waiting for Belgrade to show interest in signing, because Skopje does not hide its interest. With this formal act, which would cost him nothing, Serbian President Slobodan Miloshevic would achieve at least three aims: he would confirm his proclaimed stand for peace in the Balkans; he would fulfill the 'minimum condition' for normalization of the relations with the European Union, which would, consequently, open the road for his country to return to all international and financial institutions.

'We see no obstacles for the mutual recognition and normalization of the relations with FRY to take place any time now.' - Macedonian officials are saying. Almost identical statements were given by Belgrade representatives.

Therefore, as there are no obstacles, it becomes obvious there are calculations. At the end of the last and this month (when the Council of Ministers had its sessions), Belgrade tried to involve the Union in those calculations, and, by the way, to deceive Macedonia. Namely, the morning when the previous session of the Council was to begin, Belgrade announced its approval of the draft Agreement on the normalization of the relations with Macedonia through its agency 'Tanjug'. The message for Brussels was: ' there, we have fulfilled what you have required, the signing is only a formal act.' EU did not accept that. Before the last session of the EU Council, Belgrade gave one more similar try. They used the visit of the Macedonian Socialists delegation by giving it a great publicity, and by trying to present the situation as if the relations between the two countries are almost normal. The leader of the delegation, after the returning to Skopje, euphorically told us about his meeting with Miloshevic, claiming that the recognition was to happen any day, and, what's more, that FRY will recognize Macedonia under its Constitutional name. One might think that the name was a problem, solved thanks to the Socialist Party Macedonia and their good relations with Miloshevic. The peak of this, from Macedonian point of view, 'good neighbourly' game, and from EU point of view, not very honest diplomatic one, was the false information of Belgrade agency 'Beta' from last Friday: that FR Yugoslav Foreign Minister, Milutinovic, was paying a visit to Macedonia due to the signing of the Agreement (which stirred Macedonian public). And why would Macedonian leadership keep that a secret from their own people? The Union, however, again did not 'take the bait'. The situation in the meantime has, however, changed very much. Namely, France meanwhile normalized the relations with FRY, despite the fact that the latter has not fulfilled even the minimum condition set by the Union. Belgrade now, obviously, hopes that all the EU Member Countries will independently do the same, without insisting on the fulfilling of any condition. Unofficially, diplomatic sources from Brussels said that Serbian diplomats had explained the postponing of the recognition with the 'problems' Macedonia had about the reconstruction of the Government!

This theatre in the eyes of the World looks like being instructed by somebody (from Europe), with the probable idea: 'do not rush about Macedonia'. Miloshevic is aware how many any how difficult agreements are expecting him on the road of his country's returning to the international community. That is probably why he is trying to keep some 'ace in the sleeve'. Macedonia is not a kind of an 'ace' regarding the status of the Serbs in Bosnia, or the status of eastern Slavonia. But it is one which could be used in the forthcoming negotiations (and expected pressure from foreign countries) about Kosovo and about the rights of the Albanian minority there. Miloshevic was the one who abolished the autonomy of Kosovo and he would probably not like to go back to the SFRY Constitution from 1974. He will fight a lot before making any withdrawing.

Whatever, it would be good both for Macedonia and for the peace in the southern Balkans if Belgrade denies all these guesses by signing the Agreement on the normalization of the relations with Macedonia as soon as possible.

(end)

mils news 29 February 1996