The direct negotiations between the Republic of Macedonia and Greece will start in the headquarters of the World organization in New York on April 6th, under the auspices of the mediator Cyrus Vance. In addition, diplomatic sources of the UN inform late last night in Athens that the dialgoue would be led at the level of foreign ministers.
The same circles announced that tomorrow, the special mediator of the UN Secretary-General will give the permanent representatives of the two countries at the UN, that is, the Macedonian ambassador Deny Malevski and the Greek Zaharakis, messages with which Skopje and Athens are summoned for direct dialogue at the seat of the World organization. NEIGHBORLY AGREEMENTS"
The Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski addressed the final conference for stability in Europe yesterday. After welcoming the efforts of the EU for the initiative Pact for stability, Crvenkovski expressed the readiness of Macedonia to get involved in the activities for its realization.
Crvenkovski emphasized that Macedonia is attempting to create all the conditions for the establishment and improvement of the relations with the neighbors, including the questions of the minorities and borders, and added: "the settling of the complex of questions in relation to the strengthening of the security in Europe is a priority of the foreign policy of my country, just as the establishment of real relations of partnership in all countries in Europe and the world presents a priority and necessity, and foremost with the neighbors. On this occasion, we express our strong conviction that the open questions can and should be solved with dialogue, and in that sense, we repeat our readiness to sign agreements for good neighborly relations.
In continuation, Crvenkovski expressed the Macedonian expectation that negotiations within the framework of the OSCE, for military and political stability in southeastern Europe would start shortly, adding that the Republic of Macedonia must take its place in the future processes foreseen with the Pact. Its further exclusion from these processes is detrimental to European security. "However, despite the fact that Macedonia is still not a full member of the OSCE, we believe that the choice of giving the Pact to the OSCE for keeping and further activities, is a natural and logical solution. The capital accumulated in the OSCE in this domain, is irreplaceable. The extraordinarily efficient institution of the high commissioner for national minorities of the OSCE can also not go unmentioned, which, in this short time of existence, has achieved magnificent results."
Minister Crvenkovski emphasized the great achievements of the Council of Europe that contributed, over the past decades, to make Europe a common house, which is also a strong guarantee that the Pact will justify expectations.
"The Republic of Macedonia has always been for negotiations, and has never conditioned the direct negotiations with Greece within the UN. However, if the Republic of Greece does not lift the embargo on the Republic of Macedonia, there will be no talks between the two countries," the spokesman of the Macedonian Government Gjuner Ismail stated yesterday.
The conservative newspaper "Katimerini," commenting the announcement of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry from Monday, commented yesterday that "judging by everything, Skopje is pulling back from what was agreed in New York, saying that the negotiations are unacceptably unless the embargo is lifted."
"Katimerini," as Makfaks reports, points out that the negotiations between the foreign ministers Papoulias and Crvenkovski, that are scheduled for the first week of April, should be viewed with reservation.
In the commentary entitled "Skopje unyielding because of tactical reasons," the newspaper writes that the Greek Government, based on reports from New York, has understood that minister Crvenkovski agreed to direct negotiations over a so- called "small package" without the previous lifting of the embargo, under U.S. pressure. "Katimerini," calling upon well- informed sources, concludes that it is possible that the announcement of the Macedonian ministry might present a "tactical maneuver for internal needs," only for the dialogue to start without the previous lifting of the embargo, in the end.
Greece asked Macedonia for a gesture of good will yesterday, to break the ice, before it considers the lifting of the economic embargo.
"We are prepared to take part in the talks with the mediation of the UN, and with the presence of Cyrus Vance on the question of the symbols and Constitution," the Government spokesman Venizelos stated yesterday. "However," Venizelos added, "unless Skopje shows clear signs of good will, there can be no word of the lifting of our economic counter-measures."
The Criminal council of the Municipal court in Tetovo made a decision yesterday, at the proposal of the investigative judge, to extend the pre-trial confinement of Nevzat Halili to 30 days, while the investigation continues.
Namely, Halili, president of PDP - National Unity, is charged for "participation in a mob and obstructing an official from carrying out his duties."
The Criminal council also decided to extend the pre- trial confinement of Kemal Shabani, who is facing charges of "illegal possession of firearms and explosive materials." For him, the offered bail money of 30,000 DM has been refused. The investigation is nearing the end, both for the rector of the illegal university in Albanian language Fadil Sulejmani and Miliam Feyziu.
The Legal commission of IMRO-DPMNU, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the party, tabled remarks yesterday to the offered draft-law for local self-government.
According to Tome Stojanovski, the president of this Commission, the key disagreement with the proposed concept of the local self-government is in the part on the use of languages of the nationalities in the municipalities, which depends mostly on the exact definition of the terms majority population and considerable number.
IMRO-DPMNU does not agree with the suggested percentages in the draft-law, which foresees that a nationality is regarded as a majority when it comprises 50% of the population, and wants that figure to be increased to 90%. It is also unacceptable to them to speak of a "considerable number" of the population, when the nationality is comprises 20%, but that figure is requested to be raised to 45% of the population in the local self-government.
The representatives of the U.S. battalion of UNPROFOR in Macedonia yesterday gave the Red Cross of Macedonia the help that has been provided in the action organized in cooperation with the families of the soldiers, through the American schools in Germany. The formal submittal of the despatch, which consists of clothes for children and adults, office and household furniture, as well as household appliances, took place in the central warehouse of this humanitarian organization in Momin Potok.
The secretary Ivan Narasanov expressed gratitude for the help, on behalf of the Red Cross, who emphasized the good cooperation with UNPROFOR, on a civil plan. He especially underlined the blood donating actions, as well as the participation of the blue helmets in the distribution of the humanitarian help for the population from the border mountain regions.
The State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany Peter Hartman has received the ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to the Federal Republic of Germany Srdjan Kerim. In a longer and friendly discussion, the two sides exchange opinions on a number of questions of mutual interest of both countries. It was concluded that the bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Germany is constantly improving and at an excellent level. In that sense, the upcoming visit of the German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel to Macedonia is not only expected to confirm the present high level of friendship between the two countries, but to also present a stimulus for the development of comprehensive and quality forms of cooperation between the two countries. A particular emphasis in the talks was placed on the internal policy and economic situation of the Republic of Macedonia.
Up to March 15, inclusive, the Privatization agency received 302 complete privatization programs, of which 33 apply to large companies, 61 to middle- sized companies, and 208 to small companies.
139 of them have received decisions for accepted transformation from the Commission for privatization of the Macedonian Government, of which 16 are for large companies, 20 for middle-sized and 103 for small companies, was said yesterday at the press conference of the Agency.
Around 600 companies have given notices for invitations to the former owners, which means that they have started drawing up the privatization program and the programs are expected to be submitted to the Agency.
As for the controls of the old privatizations conducted according to the former law of Prime Minister Ante Markovich, 339 have been carried out so far, while reports for successfully controlled transformations have been issued for 319. Otherwise, 450 companies have to be subject to such controls, and they have to be completed by the end of April.
The internal stock exchange of the agency, which was supposed to start word today, will start on March 28 at 10.00h. The first to go on sale will be the shares of "Oteks" from Ohrid, while the shares of "Javor" from Bitola and "Evropa" from Skopje will be sold during April.
As it was said in the press conference, together with February 28, the Government received US$ 10 million, mostly from funds paid on the basis of old privatizations, plus 1 million DM from trapped foreign currency deposits.
Toward the beginning of next week, the Privatization agency will put another 12 companies on offer, of which 8 according to the model of purchase of ideal part of the company, while 4 according to the model management buy-out.
In its last session, the Macedonian Government made a decision and program for stimulation of the development of the agriculture, for which 91 million MCD have been set aside from the budget, as well as a decision to put aside funds of up to 62 million MCD, also from the budget, for building new waterworks, and reconstruction of the water supply network built so far, the minister-spokesman Gjuner Ismail said.
In the press conference, minister Ismail said that a decision was made in the last session of the Government to appoint a new director of PTT "Makedonija" with the function acting director. Risto Kostovski, who held the function assistant general director until now, has been chosen for this job.
The Committee of the National Bank of Macedonia has confirmed the decision of the governor of the bank to open bankruptcy proceedings at the Bank for Foreign Trade.
By rejecting the complaint that was sent by the Foreign Trade Bank, the proposal of the governor became valid, and according to regulations, the next step would be for the competent court to brining a bankruptcy decision and appoint a bankruptcy administrator.
The denar deposits of the citizens will be paid to them through "Stopanska banka," which has made an agreement for this with the National Bank of Macedonia, which will guarantee for these deposits.
The foreign currency accounts will be paid through the Macedonian bank, but the employees at the Foreign Trade Bank are still refusing to hand over the original records of the clients. The Foreign Trade Bank holds 357 million DM old foreign currency deposits.
PTT "Macedonia" has received offers from "Siemens," "Alcatel," "Motorolla" and "Errikson" for the purchase of equipment for the introduction of mobile telephone systems. The selection of the manufacturer of the equipment has to be made in two months, at latest, which is to be followed by delivery and assembly, so as to install the mobile telephone systems in Skopje, in an initial phase, by the end of 1995.
The first phase has to start next year, in which base stations will have to be assembled, that will cover the territory approximately from Tabanovce to Demir Kapija and from Kriva Palanka to Tetovo and Gostivar, with a possibility of also spreading to Bitola and Ohrid. This phase is planned to cover 45% of the territory that is inhabited with 70% of the population. The total value of the equipment that will be installed is estimated at 10 to 14 million DM, the Macedonians posts claim.
The initial phase that will be conducted in Skopje is foreseen to have some 16,000 subscribers, while in the entire first phase, this figure is expected to be increased from 25 to 30,000 subscribers.
According to analysis, the price of the subscribers' number could be from 100-200 DM, wile the subscription, around 50 DM for 200 minutes of inter-local calls. Every minute, above that, would cost between US$ 0.20 - 0.50, wile the international calls will be determined with separate tariffs.
Otherwise, the Macedonian posts have decided on the GSM system, which is a world system in mobile telephone systems, and which has 50 countries tapped into it, so far.