MAK-NEWS 07/04/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>

CONTENTS

  • [01] MILITARY COOPERATION WITH GREAT BRITAIN

  • [02] MILITARY COOPERATION WITH NORWAY

  • [03] EUROPEAN COURT RECOMENDATION

  • [04] JACOBS IMPOSES POLITICAL PRESSURE, FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS

  • [05] US CONGRESSMEN TO VISIT MACEDONIA

  • [06] ANSON VISITS TETOVO

  • [07] ALBANIAN TRADE UNION DELEGATION TO MACEDONIA

  • [08] ECONOMIC FIGURES

  • [09] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: GERMANY IS NOT A GREAT POWER! (Puls, 7 April 1995)

    •

    M I L S N E W S

    Skopje, 7 April 1995

    [01] MILITARY COOPERATION WITH GREAT BRITAIN

    Macedonian President Gligorov yesterday received Vice marshal David Henderson, Deputy Chief-of-staff of the British Army. The talks were also attended by Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski and the British ambassador to Macedonia Tony Millson. They concluded that the cooperation between the two countries is growing successfully in various fields, including the defense sector. President Gligorov stressed Macedonia's European orientation and the country's interest in being actively included in the collective security system of Europe, as well as in the Partnership For Peace NATO initiative. Henderson had a separate meeting with Defense Minister Handziski, in attendance of General Dragoljub Bocinov, Chief-of-staff of the Macedonian Army. They talked about the mutual readiness to sign a memorandum on military cooperation during the coming visit of Handziski to London and his meeting with his British counterpart Malcom Reefkind. In his statement following the meetings, Henderson said Britain will shortly send military experts to Macedonia to help in the training of Macedonian troops in accordance with the efforts to modernize the army.

    [02] MILITARY COOPERATION WITH NORWAY

    Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski yesterday received John Garder, the newly appointed ambassador of Norway to Macedonia. They underlined that frequent and intensive contacts between the two ministries of defense contribute to the further development of cooperation in the field of defense. They also discussed a possibility of signing a memorandum on military cooperation to define future joint activities. Garder announced a pending visit of a group of Norwegian experts to the Macedonian Ministry of Defense.

    [03] EUROPEAN COURT RECOMENDATION

    The General Attorney of the European Court of Justice in the case of the European Commission versus Greece, regarding the unilateral Greek embargo on Macedonia, recommended that the Court turns down the Commission's initiative and order it to cover all expenses. "Having in mind all the circumstances in the case, the Court of Justice has no authority to decide upon the differences between Greece and Macedonia and it is my view that the Court ought to turn down the initiative and make the Commission pay for all expenses," General Attorney Francis Jacobs concluded. Nova Makedonija writes that the Court has confirmed that the final decision may be favorable for Macedonia and the Commission, but it should not be expected before next October. Jacobs himself believes that the dispute is beyond the Court's authority, as it is a political problem and it is not the Court's business to decide who has the right over the Vergina Sun symbol. Under current circumstances, he claims, and taking the geopolitical and historical background of the problem, Greece may even have been in the right to be concerned that the relations with Macedonia could grow into an armed conflict. "The Government and people of Greece are deeply concerned and firmly believe that another country is usurping their cultural heritage and has aspirations toward part of their territory," Jacobs states. Furthermore, he said the Court is in no position to criticize the position and ways in which a country defends its own interests, adding there are no judicial criteria for deciding upon such matters. In this sense, there are just no legal grounds for deciding whether the trade embargo is or is not an adequate way to resolve problems.

    [04] JACOBS IMPOSES POLITICAL PRESSURE, FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS

    Regarding the recommendation to the European Court of Justice by General Attorney Jacobs, the Macedonian Foreign Ministry issued a public statement, saying, "The conclusion of the General Attorney of the Court of Justice in Luxembourg is indeed surprising. Leaving the legal aspects of the case aside as presented in the EU documents, and especially the provisions in article 113 of the Charter and other regulations of the Council of Europe, we believe that this is an attempt by Jacobs to impose political pressure on Macedonia. In this case, the question is not whether the court has authority to decide in the dispute between Greece and Macedonia, as the General Attorney seems to be saying, but to decide whether Greece is violating the Charter, as accused of by the European Commission. We are assured that the Court will make a just decision. Otherwise, it would be an unprecedented case, unknown of in the past practices of the EU, and likely to encourage other similar economic blockades and pressures as ways to resolve certain bilateral disputes. In unstable parts of the continent, this may easily result in the introduction of methods of economic violence."

    [05] US CONGRESSMEN TO VISIT MACEDONIA

    As part of a tour to several European countries, US Republican congressmen Dug Beroyter and Gerald Solomon will pay a visit to Macedonia on April 11. They are expected to be received by President Gligorov, Parliament President Andov and Foreign Minister Crvenkoski, as well as to visit the US contingent in the UNPREDEP forces in Macedonia.

    [06] ANSON VISITS TETOVO

    Macedonian Radio reports Hugo Anson, special envoy of the UN Secretary General to Macedonia, held a meeting behind closed doors with municipal leaders in Tetovo, yesterday. Tetovo township president Shakir Aliti told reporters they discussed the political situation in Tetovo and the problems in the local government. Vice president Drakche Kuzmanovski, on the other hand, stated there had been bitter arguments resulting from the arbitrary claims by Albanian representatives, who said they are deprived of their rights and are not included in the local government. Kuzmanovski said he and Anson had discussed the increasingly frequent violation of the Constitution and law by Albanian settlers, the 10,000 or so illegally built houses and the refusal to hoist the Macedonian flag in the town hall.

    [07] ALBANIAN TRADE UNION DELEGATION TO MACEDONIA

    A delegation of the Confederation of Trade Unions in Albania arrived in Skopje yesterday, led by president Kastriot Muci. Following the meeting with his Macedonian counterpart Zhivko Tolevski and his associates, they held a joint press conference to say that this was the first official meeting of the two unions and was of an informative nature. They pointed out there are many identical problems and mutual interests, informing that they had opened several avenues of cooperation. The common conclusion was that the trade unions can do much to contribute to the improvement of the relations between Albania and Macedonia and in the direction of maintaining peace and stability.

    [08] ECONOMIC FIGURES

    Retail prices in March increased by 1.6 per cent as compared to February. The rise of the total index of retail prices was somewhat alleviated by lower prices of agricultural products, officials of the State Statistics Bureau said. Services marked the highest increase of as much as 5.3 per cent. Cost of living went up by 1.4 per cent in comparison with February and by 24.6 per cent as compared with the same month last year.

    [09] MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: GERMANY IS NOT A GREAT POWER!

    (Puls, 7 April 1995)

    In 1992, Mr. Klaus Kinkel, former Minister of Justice, replaced the head position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, a position previously occupied for 17 years by Hans Dietrich Genscher. At that moment, it seemed that his mandate would pass in the shadow of Genscher, who had led German diplomacy as a visionary, leaving a mark on European politics. But, predictions by many who thought they were well informed about the German political scene and the personality of Klaus Kinkel, soon proved to be wrong. Kinkel, then 56 years old, spontaneously stood out with his very elegant manner developed over a long career in politics. A holder of Ph.D. in Law, he had started his career at the Federal Office for Citizen protection, a department of the Ministry of the Interior. There, he worked as the closest advisor to the minister and head of his cabinet. In 1974, he transferred to the Foreign Ministry, and 5 years later was appointed a head of the Federal Intelligence Agency. From there, he went to the Ministry of Justice, beginning as an under secretary and rising to the very top later on. Ever since then, world diplomacy has known who Klaus Kinkel is and what he does. He took over the foreign ministry at a quite difficult moment for Germany. The country was reunited and was experiencing the first moments of sobering up after the celebration. The Eastern bloc had disintegrated and Germany was at the same time the barrier and the door for the inclusion of the East into the West. Russia let go, but did not completely free the new independent states. The former Yugoslavia fell apart, and Germany, under a direct influence of the then Foreign Minister Genscher, recognized in principle the right of the nations to succeed. But, even some European partners of Germany accused the country of having accelerated the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and trying to impose itself as a leader of the European Union. Genscher left and was replaced by Klaus Kinkel, who seemed to feel obliged to prove from the very beginning that Germany has never had, nor has now, the intention to become the European leader. This view, however, was indicated by US President Bill Clinton at one occasion, who pointed out that Germany was the most serious US partner in Europe. Although followed by the shadow of his predecessor, Kinkel succeeded in giving German policy much of his personal mark and some of his temperament and openness, sometimes even his fearless manner (as in the case when he kept using the name "Macedonia" in the middle of Athens at a press-conference following his meeting with his Greek counterpart Papoulias). Yet all this, somehow, only made German policy more acceptable, understandable and even more relaxed to some extent. All this is to Klaus Kinkel's merit. His contribution to relations between Macedonia and Germany is also great. The relations constantly improved, especially during the period while Germany was presiding over the EU. Unfortunately, despite the obvious efforts by Kinkel to help in resolving the Greek-Macedonian dispute, it turned out to be fruitless. Yet, the numerous direct contacts between Macedonian and German diplomats revealed a common desire to see the cooperation grow in all fields and even in the most delicate one - the filed of defense. The following is an interview of Klaus Kinkel with a Puls reporter. Question: Mr. Kinkel, Germany is no doubt a great economic and political power. Yet, in our view, there seems to be a large discrepancy between Germany's economic power and political influence. Tell us, please, your opinion on this? Answer: I am afraid I do not share your opinion on which your question is based. It is wrong to try and equalize the economic and political power of a nation. Germany is not a world power and no one in my country has such aspirations. I myself, as a foreign minister, try to contribute to a balance in the country's foreign policy now that it has been reunited, the same as the balance of our closest allies. This is not a question of a greater political influence or even leadership; we are trying to enable a united Germany to undertake all of its tasks in the international community as well as all of its responsibilities. Question: Despite the fact that Germany, along with France, is the biggest lobbyist for an integrated Europe, it would seem that your allies are still afraid of the German power and influence. It can often be heard that Germany intends to become a leader in Europe. Answer: I repeat, I am not aware of a single political force in Germany with such aspirations. On the contrary, Germany, along with France, is doing all it can to push the European integration forward. And when I say integration, I mean joining of essential political segments, in foreign policy as much as in the security area. It is exactly in this field that we insist on replacing the method of making decisions from a consensus method to one of majority of votes! This certainly includes a readiness to recognize and go along with the decisions made by the majority, even though it may be contrary to one's own attitude. This principle is quite the opposite to a leadership aspiration. Question: US President Bill Clinton pointed to Germany as to one of America's most important partners in Europe, thus indicating a leading role for Germany. This gave way to dissatisfaction among certain European partners of Germany. How would you evaluate your current relations with the US? Answer: A close partnership with the US is of vital interest for Germany, in the same way that partnerships with France and Poland, our largest neighbors, are. Germany has much to thank the US for; the American support for the reuniting of Germany played a decisive role. The German-US relations are good. In order to keep them that way, the relations must be fostered. Analyzed from a long-term aspect, this particularly refers to cultural, scientific and, probably the most important of all, human relations. The transatlantic dialogue must not be limited to meetings between politicians and officials. The future ideological leaders in the transatlantic relations can be shaped only through an intensive exchange of young people, most of all in the field of ideology. This is not a new type of trans Atlantic partnership; this is more of an attempt to resolve concrete problems regarding numerous tasks which can be resolved only by the joint efforts of Europe and the US. Question: In an attempt to provide a balance in security, Germany fully supports the economic and political integration of Russia into Europe. Due to the unpredictable development of events in Russia, this is indeed a hard task for you and your country. What are your relations with Russia now? Answer: Germany is one of the countries which strongly supports current Russian reform processes in the economy and politics. In this context, the credo of Germany is that, in the long run, Western Europe can prosper only if Central and Eastern European states achieve economic prosperity and political stability. Russia is a key factor in this issue. Therefore, I will continue to lobby for its inclusion in European security institutions. In fact, during the last meeting of EU ministers in Carcasson, they accepted my suggestion to develop special relations between the North Atlantic Treaty and Russia, in the form of a Charter on Cooperation. The Russian Government, nevertheless, has to deal with the Chechnya situation and make sure that it respects human rights, rights of nations and OSCE principles. Question: Federal Germany played a "role from the shadow". It would seem that the German policy on the complex Balkan question is just like that - "an active noninterference". How do you explain this? Answer: I am afraid I will have to oppose you. In accordance with its importance and responsibility for security in Europe, Germany had a leading role in seeking a peaceful solution to the Yugoslav crisis from the very beginning. From the start, Germany was engaged in the International Conference on the former Yugoslavia, participated in the EU monitoring mission and in the control over the implementation of the sanctions on Federal Yugoslavia. Germany received over 400,000 refugees from the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, which is more than any other European country. Germany appointed Hans Koschnik an administrator of Mostar. Today, Germany is a member country of the Contact Group which is currently doing all it can to prevent a possible increase of clashes in Bosnia. Within the framework of the Contact Group, and as a member of the Security Council, Germany has recently been active in the development of new UN mandates for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Besides this, the Federal Government of Germany had a particularly active role in strengthening the Bosnian-Croatian federation. Now you see how Germany is acting as a leading force for peaceful solutions to conflict in the region, both in joint actions with other countries and in accordance with its influence on certain sides in wars. Question: In the process of the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, Germany, in principle, supported the right of nations to self-declare. Germany was the first country to send diplomatic representatives to Macedonia. The Republic of Macedonia went through a difficult period because of problems with the name, the Constitution and the flag. How do you explain the fact that the sovereignty and independence of Macedonia is permanently brought into question? Answer: Germany, just like almost all European states and other significant factors in the world, recognized your country and its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In regard to the issues in dispute, your country ought to be able to overcome the differences with Greece in a way which takes into account your principles, but also the concerns of Greece. In my contacts with Athens, I also insisted on a quick solution for the dispute and will continue to do so. Question: The Republic of Macedonia contributed to maintaining peace and stability in the region and will continue to do so. And yet, it has not been integrated into political and security institutions in Europe, which is a direct threat to its stability and economic welfare. Would you say that this is due only to the arrogant behavior of one country or is it also a result of something else as well? Answer: I have always lobbied for a quick and complete inclusion of your country in European and transatlantic structures. Unfortunately, such decisions in the Union and in OSCE can be decided only upon a consensus. We are up against connecting bilateral problems with multilateral efforts for security and cooperation in Europe. Question: Following the escalation of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the international community backed Macedonia's plea for securing its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The US asked Germany to share their obligation to deploy UN troops in Macedonia. What is your view on such a possibility. Answer: The Federal Government has not received any demand for inclusion of German soldiers in the UN forces. If we do receive such a request, we will surely consider it with due seriousness. Question: Bilateral economic relations between Macedonia and Germany are currently not at the level both sides are hoping for. The trust Macedonia has in Germany is manifested by the fact that the total national foreign currency reserves have been deposited in a German bank. Will your coming visit to Macedonia contribute to concrete agreements on economic cooperation and where do you see possibilities for further development of the bilateral relations? Answer: You just presented a very negative picture of the relations! The trading relations between our two countries, despite the negative political circumstances, have been developing satisfactorily during 1994; the trading scope in the first 11 months of 1994 was higher than in the entire previous year, with a trade surplus of over 25 million German marks in the favor of your country. Donations by your citizens working in Germany also contribute to improvement of the payment operations balance in Macedonia. This proves that we are doing all in our power to increase the economic cooperation. We would like to see development in the field of consulting in the current market reforms in Macedonia, in projects for technical cooperation in agriculture, in financing studies and engineering services for establishing railroad links between Macedonia and Bulgaria, and in intensifying trade cooperation. Over the past few years, the German-Macedonian economic relations have improved considerably. If we continue to follow this direction, the relations will continue to develop in the future. The condition for this is that Macedonia remains on the course of market reforms, privatization of companies and rehabilitation of banks.

    (end)

    mils-news 7 April '95

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