"The meeting with President Chirac opened a new era in the French-Macedonian relations," the President of the Republic of Macedonia Kiro Gligorov stated after his discussion with French President Jacques Chirac in the Elyssees Palace in Paris.
"I think that everything depends on our activity and on the way we as a small country can use this favorable political atmosphere in order to make us known better on an economic and political plan and in order to expand relations in all the fields," Gligorov stated.
"We discussed the expansion of our relations on an economic, political, and cultural plan, and I think that there are very good chances for the future development of relations," Gligorov said.
Gligorov informed that an agreement was reached in the discussion that it is an anachronism for two neighborly countries that are in fact not divided by anything, not to have good friendly relations or to have such relations that will represent an obstacle for Macedonia to be in many significant European institutions that have to contribute to the peace and security in the Balkans.
In his response to the questions of the Greek journalists, President Gligorov briefly explained that France is ready to help in the settlement of the Greek-Macedonian dispute.
In his response to the Macedonian journalists, Gligorov assessed that Chirac had demonstrated great understanding for Macedonia's position, and that he had expressed a belief that Macedonia must be helped in order to make it an example to other countries in the Balkans - on how to provide stability in the country and respect from the international community, in such a situation.
On a political plan, Chirac said that he would personally do anything to remove the dispute with Greece from the agenda and that he had understanding for Macedonia's tolerance.
In the end, Gligorov informed that he had invited President Chirac to visit Macedonia.
In addressing the Assembly session of the Western European Union in Paris, the Macedonian President Gligorov, according to some unofficial assessments in Athens, seemed "less resolute," and even left some space for speculation that the lifting of the economic embargo may even occur during the negotiations.
According to NOVA MAKEDONIJA's correspondent, the press in Greece has given different interpretations of Gligorov's speech.
On Tuesday, for instance, some mass media reported Gligorov's statement according to which Macedonia want to negotiate, however, without any pressures whatsoever. It must be admitted that the economic embargo represents direct pressure on the one side, and therefore, the Macedonian President reiterated that it must be lifted before the negotiations with Greece start.
The confusing reports from Paris also say that in answering journalists' questions, Gligorov had said that the embargo does not represent a topic of discussion with Greece, adding that "we should find a solution to lift it a priori, or on the negotiating table." He mentioned that no state would accept negotiations under such conditions, stressing that Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski, who has been invited to meet with Cyrus Vance, will have separate meetings with the UN mediator, the same way as before.
Yesterday, Macedonia's Foreign Minister had a meeting in New York with the mediator in the Macedonian-Greek dispute Cyrus Vance. This meeting, which was also called a consultative meeting, came at Vance's invitation who, reportedly, will also hold consultations with the Greek UN representative Zaharakis.
Since there are no official comments on the Vance- Crvenkovski talks for the moment, we can only report speculations that appeared in nine countries. It is claimed that Vance will discuss the so-called "small packet" with Macedonia's and Greece's representatives in New York, due to which Crvenkovski's stay in the U.S. will last more than a couple of days. It is also mentioned that in spite of the difficulties, there is a "new phase" in sight, in finding a solution to the problems that have been obstructing the relations between the two countries for a longer time, and which create additional difficulties and losses to Macedonia.
One more meeting between Macedonia's Minister of Justice Popovski, the Minister of Education and Physical Culture Simovska and the members of the Albanian parties represented in Parliament Murati, Ibrahimi, Tahiri and Dzaferi, took place in Skopje on June 20 and 21, according to an official Foreign Ministry announcement.
The meeting was also attended by the president of the working group on ethnic and national minorities with the International Conference for former Yugoslavia ambassador Gerd Arens, as well as the OSCE representative in Skopje.
Minister Simovska explained the draft-law on high education in relation to the planned possibilities for training teaching staff for elementary and high schools, who will hold classes in Albanian language, as well as in relation to the foundation of public or private high educational institutions. All Albanian participants insisted on university-level education in their own language. The group tried to find a solution within the framework of the Constitution and the laws of Macedonia. The discussions on these issues will continue. The draft-law on local self-management was also discussed, as well as some practical problems related to the implementation of the law on local self- management.
As reported, ambassador Arens also had talks with the president of the Democratic party of the Serbs in Macedonia.
The Pensioners' Association demands payment of unpaid pensions, explaining that it was one of the election promises of the current authorities.
At yesterday's press conference, the representatives of the Association recalled the numerous meetings with competent ministries, as well as with President Gligorov, at which they indicated the possible financial sources for settling this debt which amounts to 110 million DM.
They suggest that the Fund for Pension and Invalid Insurance be freed from social givings, that the funds from the increase in the price of the oil and derivatives go entirely to this Fund. They are also counting on money from the Fund that was saved up from unpaid amounts for holiday bonuses for the pensioners and the liberation of the Fund from postal expenses.
According to the Pensioners' Association, they will not give up their demands due to the constantly growing prices of food products, utilities, as well as medical costs. Those 130,000 pensioners with minimal pensions are mostly affected by all of this.
Otherwise, the sale in the past couple of days is expected to cash in 10.5 million DM.