MAK-NEWS 10/07/95 (M.I.L.S.)

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

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

M I L S N E W S

Skopje, 10 July 1995

[01] DAMAGE APPRAISED AT OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS

Floods due to heavy rains in southeast Macedonia of three days ago imposed a total damage of over half a billion dollars, causing a damage estimated at 300 million Deutsche Marks in the Tikvesh region solely. The cities of Kavadarci and Negotino were hit the hardest, where floods devastated two thirds of the agricultural products, damaging nearly 3000 houses. Several factories are not able to resume production and the Television Negotino studio was completely destroyed.

President Gligorov, Prime Minister Crvenkovski and Defense Minister Handziski visited the region over the weekend and army units have been engaged to help clear out the terrain.

The Macedonian Government is expected to provide funds to help restore normal life in the area.

The Macedonian Red Cross urgently became engaged in the action to help the flooded region, pointing however its abilities are insufficient to fully cover needed help.

Therefore, the Red Cross appealed to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, to the German Red Cross, as well as to all other humanitarian organizations in Macedonia, citizens and institutions willing to help. A special solidarity account has been open for donations (40100-678-3005743).

[02] NO SIGNS OF PROGRESS, GREEK MEDIA SAY

Citing parts of Macedonian President Gligorov's interview with the weekly Puls, the media in Greece say he retains his intransigent attitude. The conservative daily Kathimerini says there is contradiction in Gligorov's statement on a need for good faith signs from both sides in order to have talks resumed, while pointing out that Macedonia has already made such a step by the Parliament Declaration which says the country has no territorial aspirations toward any neighbor.

Makpress cites media in Greece as underlining the president's statement on no chances for accepting any changes in the name, even if the so-called 'small-package' is accepted by both sides. There are no signs for any progress in the efforts to renew the Macedonian-Greek talks even after the latest meeting of Macedonian Foreign Minister Crvenkovski with UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali and mediator Vance in Geneva, the Greek press writes, adding the meeting was a pressure on Macedonia to sit down at the negotiating table without insisting on a lift of the embargo.

Meantime, Boutros-Ghali yesterday arrived in Athens to receive the Onazis Foundation award for his contribution to international understanding and cooperation. Media in Greece announce US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke is also to arrive in Athens shortly.

[03] SERBIAN-GREEK RELATIONS GROWING COLD

The public on Greece is still stirred by the recent reactions in Belgrade to the behavior of Greek fans during the final match of the European Basketball Cup in Athens.

Spectators in Greece say even the Belgrade media are announcing possible closer relations with Skopje as a result of this, predicting diplomatic relations will soon follow the already started tourism cooperation. The change in relations, they comment, is visible in the fact that Belgrade, following the recent visit to Macedonia of Socialist Party vice-president Percevic, no longer uses the term Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), but addresses the country simply as Macedonia. The press also takes note of statements that Serbia ought to act the same way as Greece had when it recognized Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina.

Macedonian Television reports the Greek customs authorities yesterday denied entry to the Serbian daily newspaper Evening News, aimed for Serbian holiday makers in Greece.

Nova Makedonija, on the other hand, writes that Montenegro has bitterly protested against the newly introduced passport regime between Macedonia and Yugoslavia by the Serbian authorities.

[04] MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN TALKS IN GENEVA PROVE FRUITLESS

Citing Radio Tirana, Makpress says the Geneva negotiations between Macedonian Government officials and representatives of parties of Albanians in Macedonia have failed to reach any progress. Minister of Education Emilija Simovska and Interior Minister Ljubomir Frckovski represented the Macedonian Government, while political parties of Albanians in Macedonia were represented by Dzeladin Murati and Mevlam Tahiri of PDP, Arben Dzaferi of PDPA and Bedredin Ibraimi of NDP.

According to Radio Tirana, they discussed higher education issues, the demand to legalize the Albanian-language university in Tetovo, local self-government laws and use of the Albanian language. The talks, it was said, were full of antagonism, but they are expected to continue.

[05] ALBANIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS TO VISIT MACEDONIA

A delegation of the Albanian Parliamentary Foreign Committee will arrive in a three-day official visit to Skopje tomorrow. Albanian MP's will be received by Macedonian Parliament president Stojan Andov, chairman of the Foreign Committee Ilinka Mitreva, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski and Minister of Traffic Dimitar Buzlevski, and will also meet political parties with seats in Parliament. Head of the delegation Eduard Seljami stated the Albanian MP's will raise the question of abolishment of mutual entry visas-and-taxes fee of $ 25.

They will also discuss the situation in the region.

[06] MACEDONIAN AND AUSTRIAN FINANCE MINISTERS MEET

Macedonian Finance Minister Hari Kostov met in Vienna last Friday his Austrian counterpart Andreas Storibaher, to inform of the situation in the Macedonian economy and reforms agreed upon with the IMF and World Bank. Kostov asked that Austria supports Macedonia's request of facilitating its debt toward the Paris Club of donators.

[07] $15 PER DAY NEEDED TO ENTER SLOVAKIA

The Macedonian embassy in Warsaw informs that all foreigners going to or passing through the Republic of Slovakia will have to possess at least $15 per day and half of the sum for every child. Tourists visiting as part of groups will not be required to present the amount at the border.

[08] PARTY OF ROMAS HOLDS CONGRESS

The Party for Complete Emancipation of Romas held its second congress in Skopje yesterday in the attendance of 186 party delegates. Faik Abdi was re-elected as lifetime president of the party, Aidi Bairam and Berat Bairam were appointed vice- presidents, and Mehmed Nedzat a new secretary general.

[09] TWO GIRLS BRUTALLY MURDERED NEAR STRUGA

12-years-old Argetime Kaya and 10-years-old Bizatime Vljana, both missing since May 14, have been found brutally murdered in the village of Vishni, near Struga, the Macedonian ministry of the interior said. The investigation revealed they had both been killed by a blow on the head.

Embittering the public in Macedonia, the murder again raised the issue of re-introducing a death penalty for such crimes.

The death penalty was abolished by the 1991 Constitution.

MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT:

[10] MACEDONIA AND AMERICA SHARE COMMON STRATEGIC INTERESTS

(Nova Makedonija, 8 July 1995) Top officials in charge of national defense have always been interesting for reporters, due to the simple fact that these segments are always sensitive and delicate. Particularly when it comes to the Republic of Macedonia which, in the context of the general instability in the Balkans and constantly threatened peace, is by many seen as a decisive factor for stability in the entire region.

The first question for the Macedonian Minister of Defense Blagoj Handziski concerned his view on the political and security situation in and around Macedonia.

'The political and security situation is of different weights on internal and international plan. Being a ministry of defense, we have no authority to interfere in any potential domestic conflicts, as by definition we are here to defend the borders and integrity of the Republic of Macedonia. Nevertheless, we always look upon the security situation as a whole, as the current turbulent times request constant alert and engagement.

More concretely, the internal security of the country is presently potentially destabilizing by two elements. The first danger comes from the deep economic crisis and the increased social tension as a result. According to our knowledge, the country is at the moment at the peak of the crisis and the next three or four months will reach a critical point. The second potentially destabilizing factor are ethnic relations. The situation, unlike that of a couple of months ago, is now somewhat relaxed. I believe this results from two factors; the first is the fact that the most powerful political party of Albanians accepted to deal with all problems within the framework of the system and to remain in the government and parliament, thus gradually integrating itself in society. The second factor, continually creating tension in this context, are attempts for outside interference, especially strong during the election last fall and during the initiative for the so- called Albanian-language university in Tetovo. Still, I am convinced that the inner stability in the country, regardless of the complexity of the situation, will not only be maintained in future but will also gain in quality as time goes by.

Question: Could you point out certain outside factors that present potential threat to stability in Macedonia?

Answer: There are several such factors. I personally believe that there will be no lasting peace in the southern Balkans as long as the Kosovo question is resolved. By peaceful means, that is. At the time being, of course, the events in Bosnia are the most relevant ones and our findings are that the situation is far from taking a positive direction. Regardless of NATO and US evaluation of the UN mission there as unsuccessful, we believe the peace-keeping forces ought to remain in Bosnia, not only because of its humanitarian role, but also because they prevent to a certain degree the conflict from spilling over.

Question: What do you think of the latest deployment of rapid reaction forces in Bosnia?

Answer: I think this will have a positive impact on the entire situation, since the UN troops were bound to be withdrawn had these forces not been deployed in Bosnia, thus practically leaving UN protected areas without any defense. The truce is currently not in effect and this is why the initiatives to have the UN troops withdrawn from the region. The general speculations are the conflict is likely to spread and gain in intensity by next fall.

Question: You mean, the war is likely to spill over out of the Bosnian borders?

Answer: Exactly. And this will inevitably increase the negative impact on security in areas surrounding Macedonia, that is Kosovo. It is our opinion that the conflict will remain within local frames as long as Yugoslavia stays out of it. Yet, the question is how long rump Yugoslavia can avoid direct confrontation with the Croatian or Bosnian government should the conflict escalate.

Question: What are the chances Macedonia will maintain its stability and peace in such a complex atmosphere?

Answer: There is one very favorable circumstance for Macedonia and that is that our interests in preserving peace and stability coincide with the strategic interests of some of the NATO member countries, especially the United States. As the international community is unanimous in evaluating Macedonia as the key stability factor in the region, we are assured they will do all in their power to prevent a destabilization of the south of the Balkans. This means that, should the situation to the north of Macedonia worsens, the mandate and structure of UN troops in Macedonia will certainly be changed. Under such circumstances, even other troops, not necessarily under the UN flag, are likely to be deployed in Macedonia.

Question: You mean, NATO troops?

Answer: Possibly. Despite the fact that Macedonia's relations with the European Union and NATO are still not completely established, we are aware of the fact that the international community is so concerned with maintaining peace here that it will most probably join forces to do everything in order to prevent a conflict from emerging in Macedonia.

Question: With such an interest of the international community in seeing peace in Macedonia preserved, what would you say the country's geo-strategic position is now?

Answer: Regardless of Macedonia's size and potential, it stands highly on the list of interests of NATO and especially of the US. The strategic importance of Macedonia is constantly gaining in quality, particularly as a result of the changes to the north of us. There is an evident increase in the establishment of closer relations between Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation; as you probably know, they have even signed an agreement on military cooperation. I think that the Russian Federation has for the first time in its history penetrated into the Balkans so deeply exactly due to its current close relations with Yugoslavia. This again changes Macedonia's strategic importance, as spheres of interests are again divided, in spite of the ongoing efforts for integration of Europe.

Question: You mentioned rich cooperation between the Macedonian and certain foreign armies. At what level is this cooperation and what kind of help could Macedonia expect from them?

Answer: It is our general belief that any cooperation in the field of defense creates conditions for building firm mutual trust. In this context, Macedonia has given priority to its cooperation with the closest neighbors and countries with which it has already established full diplomatic ties. Such cooperation is mostly notable with Bulgaria and Albania.

The cooperation also includes Great Britain, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and, probably most importantly, with Slovenia and Turkey, the last two being closest to us.

Macedonia and Turkey already signed agreements on cooperation, verified by both countries' parliaments. We have even appointed a military attachi for Turkey, to start working in September.

Question: What about the cooperation with the United States?

Answer: This is where we have gone the furthest. Through a program entitled 'Bridge to America', organized by the US Command in Germany, a permanent liaison team has been included in the work of our ministry ever since March 1. A joint program for 1995 has already been worked out, and the one for next year is underway. It includes some 90 activities to be undertaken throughout the year.

Practically, the program sets joint activities every four days of both Macedonian and American military officers. A third of the activities is carried out in the US, but for its largest part they are undertaken at the 'Partnership for Peace' headquarters in Stuttgart. At the moment, a group of 5 Macedonian field officers is observing and taking part in a training exercise of the US army.

Question: Recently, you visited the United States yourself, to meet with top military officials there. What is their opinion of Macedonia, not only as an important strategic point, but as a state in general?

Answer: Their strategic interest in maintaining peace and stability in Macedonia and having our country included in the Partnership for Peace initiative fully coincides with Macedonia's interests. We established the framework of military cooperation by signing an official agreement, worked out by two bilateral groups, the Macedonian one being headed by myself. Apart from cooperation in military training, the agreement includes projects in the field of military education and joint tactic maneuvers. On several occasions, we have discussed possibilities of purchasing US military equipment and technology that are not prohibited by the international sanctions. Our satisfaction is increased by the fact that Macedonia achieved a level of cooperation with the Partnership for Peace program that is usually achieved by other countries for as long as two years. I expect Macedonian military officers to be included in the joint command of the Partnership for Peace in the nearest future.

Question: Does this mean that Macedonia will soon be included in the initiative?

Answer: There are two basic conditions for obtaining a Partnership for Peace membership. The first to have been a member of the previous Warsaw Treaty - which, of course, Macedonia cannot fulfill - and the second and key condition is to be an OSCE member. The moment Macedonia is admitted to the OSCE, there will be no obstacles whatsoever for its inclusion in the Partnership...

Question: This being your first interview after your US visit, I would like to ask you a somewhat piquant question. Your address at the National Press Club greatly stirred the public, since you reportedly spoke of the ancient Macedonian history and similarities between the ancient and modern Macedonian language, stating at the same time Macedonia's readiness to give up the flag. What were you precisely asked and what was your reply?

Answer: First of all, media in Macedonia were wrong to state that it was a press-conference following my meeting with Secretary Perry. Even before I arrived in the US, it had been agreed that I was to give a lecture at the National Press Club on the topic 'National Security in the Republic of Macedonia Under Conditions of Conflicts in Bosnia and the Surrounding Region'. Therefore, I had previously had prepared a lecture in English, to be followed by a debate. The lecture was attended by officials of Pentagon, the White House, State Department, embassies of Macedonia's neighboring states and reporters, those from Greece being the most numerous, as expected. Speaking of the potential sources of instability in Macedonia, I said the economic losses of Macedonia due to the illegal Greek embargo are of special weight, as it was imposed to economically weaken Macedonia and bring about inner instability.

Following my lecture, a Greek reporter asked me, 'You were very thorough in explaining the losses due to the embargo, but failed to state the reason for its introduction. Are you not ashamed in front of these people to have hidden a part of the truth, as you 'failed' to tell them that the embargo was imposed because you stole the name and the flag and because you have territorial ambitions toward Greece?' I replied that I had nothing to be ashamed of, especially not of the part presenting losses due to the embargo. As for the name and flag issues, I said that no one has a monopoly over history and events of some two thousand years ago and that no one could possibly deny that our ancestors have inherited something from the civilization existing in the region at those times. I said that the best proof of this is the fact that a certain quantum of the modern Macedonian vocabulary fully convenes with the language used during the reign of Alexander the Great. Furthermore, I said that we are aware of the fact that the Greeks are over-sensitive to symbols, underlining that the sun as a universal symbol of life is included in national symbols of many nations, and again no one has an exclusive right to it. Still, I emphasized our readiness to a dialogue - upon which we have insisted for over 3 years now - on all issues but the name, which represents our very identity. This was the exact reply, which was later interpreted in many different ways.

Question: If I understood you correctly, you have stated Macedonia's readiness to negotiate the symbol on its national flag?

Answer: Not on the symbol, but on all open questions, excluding the name. Let me make this clear - we have been stating our readiness for a dialogue on all disputable for three whole years. Apart from the name, there is a need for negotiations and acceptable solutions on all other open questions.

(end)

mils-news 10 July '95