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MILS NEWS 21/05/96Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <[email protected]>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 21 May 1996[01] SPREADING OF THE ALLIANCE VERY PROBABLEThe delegation of the Republic of Macedonia, that attended the session of the North Atlantic Assembly in Athens as an observer, had several bilateral meetings with representatives of Germany, Spain, France, USA, Italy and Greece. 'Makpress' agency reported that the representatives of these NATO member countries greeted Macedonia's joining the 'Partnership for Peace' Programme and expressed readiness to support the country in its joining to NATO.During the talks with the Greek representatives, the Greek party had stressed that unless the discussions in New York on the name issue are positively resolved, the bilateral relations would not be able to be developed further, and that Greek support to the joining of Macedonia in NATO would also depend on that. NATO Secretary General Havier Solana, in his speech at the session, said the spreading of the Alliance would definitely be carried out, which is why intensive discussions with the interested countries are taking place this year. Solana's reply to the question of the Macedonian MP, Nano Ruzin, why he had not visited Macedonia during his recent visit to 12 East European countries was that it had not a political connotation, and that he expected to do that till the end of this year. [02] SIMITIS BELIEVES IN THE POSITIVE SOLVING OF THE MACEDONIAN-GREEK DISPUTE'Greece has good relations with its northern neighbours,' said Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday at the session of the NATO Assembly. According to 'Makfax', Simitis said Athens and Skopje were cooperating in all levels and the differences would be solved.Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, in his interview for the Greek daily 'Elefterotipia', blamed Macedonia for being shortsighted about the New York Interim Accord. Namely, as 'Makpress' reported, Pangalos stated that Macedonian government, realising that the part of the Accord which refers to the practical bilateral relations is functioning well, considers that it could neglect the name dispute. And that is, according to him, a violation of the Accord, which is, in fact, searching for a mutually acceptable name. After stressing that Greece is tolerating Macedonia, Pangalos said that Macedonia needs the Greek investments, but they will be hardy realised before the name dispute is resolved. He said the situation about the Greek help in the relations with the international institutions also depended on that. Pangalos emphasized that Greece could live without the Accord with Skopje, as it was a dispute which did not require strategic solutions, such as the case with Turkey, that influences the Greek economy, and even the way of living. According to Pangalos, the Skopje issue is nothing more than an unpleasant irritation. Ending his interview, he stressed that: 'Until they call themselves the Republic of Macedonia, there will not be true friendly relations.' [03] ALBANIAN PARTIES FROM MACEDONIA INCLUDED IN BERISHA'S PRE-ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNDuring his pre-electoral campaign, Albanian President Sali Berisha held meetings in Peskopea and other places near the Macedonian border, where the presence of the members of the Albanian political parties from Macedonia and of the citizens of Debar was obvious, informed 'Makpress'. The information says that Berisha severely criticized the local authorities there, describing them as 'leftovers of the previous communist regime'. He also accused them for having a great part of the humanitarian aid intended for this part of Albania brought to Macedonia.[04] LITZ: AUTONOMY IS A SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO'The solution of the Kosovo issue is an autonomy, not a secession,' said the Chairman of the Working Group for Regional Issues with Carl Bildt's Office, Ambassador Martin Litz. He stated this after yesterday's meeting with the President of Human Rights Committee of Kosovo Adem Demakji in Pristine, adding that the solution for Kosovo should be looked for in the constructive engagement of the Albanians and Serbs on that territory.[05] 'POLI I KJENDREZ': MOSLEM EXTREMISTS TRAINED IN ALBANIAThe Albanian left-wing parties paper 'Poli i Kjendrez' reads that there are secret training camps in Albania, in which the Moslem extremists are being trained for terrorist activities. Macedonian media informed that the paper supported that information by a detail from a trial in Cairo. As alleged, one of the accused had confessed that he had managed a training camp for Moslem terrorists in Albania. The paper also claims that Moslem extremists, who are being pursued internationally, are hiding in Albania, which could altogether bring to a serious political scandal.[06] SERBS AND MONTENEGRINS IN KOSOVO ARE LOSING THEIR FAITH IN MILOSHEVICSerbs and Montenegrins who live in Kosovo required from the Serbian President Slobodan Miloshevic to come to Kosovo on June 22 and to present his platform for resolving the situation in the province. According to Macedonian media, they questioned Miloshevic's policy on Kosovo issue, saing it is not defined and is confusing. The letter they had sent reads that in case he does not come in Kosovo and present an acceptable programme, they will be forced to organize themselves, as they would not like to go through the suffering of Serbs in Bosnia and Croatia.Serbs and Montenegrins from Kosovo also disapproved of Miloshevic's accepting to have 120,000 asylum seekers from Germany being returned to FRY till the end of 1996. According to them, Miloshevic has, in fact, accepted to take back terrorists, who avoided to serve in their own army, but who were trained to perform all kinds of military actions, especially terrorist ones, in the German camps. Serbs and Montenegrins predict that a real chaos will take place in Kosovo, with diversions, assassinations and terrorist actions, by which the threats of certain Albanian political groups in the province will be realised. [07] MACEDONIA WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE MINISTERIAL MEETING IN SOFIA'Makpress' agency informed the public that Macedonia has already confirmed its participation in the Conference of the Foreign Ministers of South and East European countries in Sofia, scheduled for June 8 and 9, 1996.Strahil Chervenov, Head of the South and East Europe Department of the Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Ministry, informed that due to the international character of the conference, on which countries that had not recognized Macedonia would be present, the UN Resolution would be used regarding the name of the country. The subjects discussed at the Conference will be the improvement of the stability, security ad cooperation in the region; the contribution of countries in the implementation of the Dayton Accord; transport, communications, energy, legal system and fight against the organized crime and terrorism. 'Makpress' also informed that Slovenia refused to participate at the Conference, while Croatia will be an observer only, which was explained by keeping a distance with the Balkan regional belonging. Albania has still not confirmed its participation, and Turkey was reserved about the term. [08] GERMANY - A CENTRAL FOREIGN PARTNER OF MACEDONIAMacedonian Development Minister Abdulmenaf Bedzeti arrived in Germany yesterday to meet German officials in K"ln, Frankfurt and Bonn, and discuss possibilities for new credits and help from the German government for Macedonia.As Macedonian Radio informed from K"ln, after the already approved credit of DM 30 million, Macedonia was now expecting additional amount through the German budget for 1997, mostly intended for the infrastructure investments in the public sector. The Radio reminded of the intensive cooperation between Macedonia and Germany so far and of the recent statements given by the German Foreign Minister Claus Kinkel, concluding that Germany is the central partner in the Macedonian aspirations for the relations with the EU, and the greatest foreign partner of Macedonia in the trade exchange. Macedonian parliamentary delegation is expected to visit Germany during the following months. Also, Macedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski is expected to have talks with the German officials at the Ministerial Meeting of NATO, while Ministers Sofia Todorova (Education) and Slobodan Unkovski (Culture), and possibly Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, might pay visits to Germany soon. [09] MACEDONIAN-ITALIAN ECONOMIC COOPERATIONA delegation of the Macedonian entrepreneurs, led by Economy Minister Bekjir Zuta, is discussing in Rome with the Italian entrepreneurs the further improvement of the bilateral economy relations. The delegation will also attend the exhibition of Macedonian products.Meanwhile, the Italian Ambassador to Macedonia Faustino Troni visited Kavadarci yesterday and talked to the Mayor and to many entrepreneurs in this town. The Ambassador was very interested in the production of the Macedonian vine and its marketing abroad. [10] PRIVATISATION OF THE STATE CAPITALMacedonian Government yesterday adopted the Proposal to pass the Law on Privatization of the State Capital of Companies.As it was officially announced, the Proposal regulates the evidence, management and sale of the state capital in the Republic. Accordingly, the state capital will be possible to be sold with the social one, so that majority packages of shares are obtained, by public advertisements for collecting offers and at the Stock Exchange. The Government also adopted the Proposal to pass the Law on Inheriting, which defines the legal and obligatory inheritors, conditions for validity of the wills, as well as their forms, contents and abolishing. The principles on which the Law is based are: the equality of the citizens, of the husband and wife, of the legitimate and illegitimate children, etc. The Draft Platform for negotiating the regular air, road, railway and post transport with FR Yugoslavia was also adopted by the Government. [11] DANGER FROM THE ALBANIAN CATTLE DISEASESPreventive measures are being taken in the municipality of Debar to stop the import of live cattle, meat, milk and dairy products from the neighbouring Albania, following the warning of the Macedonian Veterinary Administration. The reason is the suspicion that the foot-and-mouth disease had appeared among the hoofed animals there. 'Makpress' informs that the live stock market in Debar will also be closed temporarily for these reasons. Macedonian customs officers are trying to prevent the spreading of the disease in Macedonia by confiscating and destroying the products from the Albanian hoofed animals, and the police is also alarmed to prevent the smuggling of the live cattle from Albania.MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] 'Neither Customs Duties Nor Quotas'('Nova Makedonija', 18 May 1996)Beginning from January 1, 1999, the Free Trade Zone between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia will start functioning. It is about the customs duties, other expenses and quantitative limitations, which have already been agreed on in principle. After the details are precise by experts, the official Agreement on Free Trade Zone will be signed. This was said at the press conference on Friday, May 17, 1996, in the Macedonian Government, by Macedonian Vice Prime Minister and a Minister of Economy Bekjir Zuta, and by FR Yugoslav Minister of Trade Gjorgje Shiradovic, after their two-days talks in Skopje. 'The mutual recognition between our two countries has created conditions to negotiate economic issues,' said Zuta. 'The delegations discussed the Free Trade Zone. It will be created phase by phase during the next three years. On January 1, 1999, we will enter a non-customs phase, when the customs departments will be kept, but there will be only 1% expenses. We have also discussed other expenses and decided to have them abolished when the Agreement comes in force. The quantitative limitations will also be abolished, with certain exclusions regarding the interest of the national economies, which would be additionally agreed about. There are still some details to be set, but the discussions were taking place in an agreeable atmosphere and we expect solutions to be made acceptable for both countries, and in a way which would contribute to the good bilateral cooperation in future.' 'These are official discussions between the Macedonian and FR Yugoslav governments about the regulation of the mutual economic relations and trade, i.e. about the Agreement on establishing the Free Trade Zone,' said Shiradovic. 'The discussions are constructive and as they should be between two neighbouring countries that cooperate well and are not burdened with open political issues. That is precisely the reason why the economic relations should be developed positively in future. The Agreement itself is a complex and responsible task, as many economic issues should be negotiated and regulated. That is why we have agreed on a gradual abolishing of customs duties, which should be accomplished till 1999 phase by phase. The other expenses will come out of force by signing of the Agreement in 1999. The limitations of quantities will also be gradually abolished,' stressed Shiradovic, 'for the sake of the bilateral relations, but also due to the obligations of both countries to the World Trade Organisation, which Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia seriously intend to join.' (end)mils news 21 May, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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