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Wednesday, 14 August 2024
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MILS NEWS 20/03/96From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>Macedonian Information Liaison Service DirectoryCONTENTS[01] CHRISTOPHER ROBERT HILL - THE FIRST US AMBASSADOR TO MACEDONIA[02] GERMAN AID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAIL TRACK TO BULGARIA[03] POSITIVE TRENDS IN MACEDONIA'S TRANSITION[04] NORWEGIAN INVESTMENT IN MACEDONIA[05] MACEDONIA CLOSER TO THE EU THAN ALBANIA[06] SHOCK FOR PREMIERE SIMITIS[07] MACEDONIAN ECONOMY REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THESSALONIKI[08] UN DELEGATION OF INCB IN MACEDONIA[09] SYMPOSIUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS[10] MACEDONIAN STOCK MARKET IN OPERATION BY THE END OF MARCH[11] YEAR STARTED WITH INCREASED PRODUCTIONMILS SUPPLEMENT[12] 'Fokus', 15 March 1996; Interview with Ibrahim RugovaMILS NEWSSkopje, 20 March 1996[01] CHRISTOPHER ROBERT HILL - THE FIRST US AMBASSADOR TO MACEDONIAUS president Bill Clinton yesterday appointed Christopher Robert Hill the first Ambassador of the USA to the Republic of Macedonia. The announcement released by the White House Office of the Press Secretary reads that Hill currently serves as the director of the Office of South Central Europe in the European Bureau of the State Department. He has worked as a diplomat in Belgrade (Yugoslavia), Warsaw (Poland), Seoul (Korea) and Tirana (Albania). Hill was born in 1952, and has graduated with a B.A. in Economics. He also earned a master's degree from the Naval War College. He fluently speaks French, Serbian and Polish.[02] GERMAN AID FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAIL TRACK TO BULGARIAGerman Development Minister Carl Dieter Schpranger, on the press conference held after his talks with the Macedonian officials in Skopje, said Germany will give 30 million DM to Macedonia as a favourable financial credit for the construction of the rail track to Bulgaria. Schpranger stressed the importance of the technical aid of 80 million DM Germany had given to Macedonia so far, and added that this latest move will encourage the World Bank's financial aid to Macedonia.Macedonian Premiere Branko Crvenkovski informed on the discussions he had with Schpranger regarding the situation in the region, and stressed that their views on the development of the relations with the EU member countries coincide. They had agreed that countries of this region should develop their relations with the EU bilaterally, without any favoring. German Minister also met with President Kiro Gligorov of Macedonia, and they talked about the bilateral economy cooperation and the possibilities to include FR Germany more directly in the projects in Macedonia. Minister Schpranger also had talks with the vice Premiere and Economy Minister Bekjir Zutta, Minister of Transport Dimitar Buzlevski and with Development Minister Abdulmenaf Bejetti. [03] POSITIVE TRENDS IN MACEDONIA'S TRANSITIONOn the meeting with the President of the Macedonian Parliament Tito Petkovski, the vice President of the Social Democratic Party parliamentary group in the German Bungestag, Gunter Ferhoigen, expressed his satisfaction with the positive trend of the transition process in Macedonia, which was estimated as much more progressive than in other countries.Ferhoigen was also received by the Premiere Branko Crvenkovski, who stressed the interceding of Macedonia for the countries in the region to be treated independently in their joining the European associations. On the meeting the German guest had with the Macedonian Foreign Minister Frchkovski and the President of the Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, Ilinka Mitreva, the integration processes in the European structures were discussed. In context of that, they stressed the need for the EU to be spread its structure to the Eastern and Central European countries. Ferhoigen for the Macedonian Radio said he sees Macedonia as a partner of the EU and other European associations, and as a mediator to the solving of the problems in the region. Regarding his comparison of the higher education of Albanians in Macedonia with the one of the Africans in South Africa during the apartheid, Ferhoigen said it was a comparison unsuitable for a democratic country, such as Macedonia. [04] NORWEGIAN INVESTMENT IN MACEDONIAThe parliamentary delegation of the Kingdom of Norway, led by the President of the Parliament Kirsti Kolegrendl, was received yesterday by the Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov and the Macedonian Premiere Branko Crvenkovski. They expressed the mutual satisfaction with the development of the bilateral relations, characterised by friendliness and readiness to be improved.The possibilities for Norwegian investments in the water power system in Macedonia were discussed. Kolegrendl was informed on the minorities issues in the country. The Norwegian guests also met with the Macedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski and paid greatest attention to the Macedonia relations with the neighbours, as well as the options for finding a solution for Kosovo. [05] MACEDONIA CLOSER TO THE EU THAN ALBANIA'Makpress' agency informed yesterday that Italian media has highlited the visit of the Italian Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli to Macedonia. The most popular daily 'La Republica', in an article titled 'Macedonia Is Knocking on The Door of EU', wrote that Macedonia was far ahead of Albania, and not only economically, but also democratically. The paper says Italy will support Macedonia to be included in the Reconstruction Programme of the former Yugoslav republics, as a country which did not participated to the war conflict.The paper 'Coriere De La Sera' also comented that Macedonia was much closer to the agreement on the economy cooperation with the EU than Albania, as the latter should further develop its democracy. 'Il Messagero' daily stressed that 'after Dayton Accord, the significance of the southern Balkan has increased', adding that the importance of Macedonia was crucial. All Italian papers wrote that Italian Foreign Ministry promised to Macedonian officials that 'Macedonia will, almost certainly, sign the Agreement on Cooperation and Trade with the EU till the end of the presidential mandate of Italy, i.e. till June 1996'. [06] SHOCK FOR PREMIERE SIMITISThe statements of the Macedonian Foreign Minister Ljubomir Frchkovski during Susanna Agnelli's visit to Macedonia, as well as the announced forthcoming recognition of Macedonia by FRY under its constitutional name, were described in the Greek papers as a shock for Greek Premiere Simitis. The papers reported Frchkovski's statement that he was optimist regarding the relations with Greece in general, but not regarding the name issue. They also paid a great attention to Agnelli's saying that 'the name dispute has nothing to do with the EU and is a bilateral problem of Greece and Macedonia'.Meanwhile, many comments were provoked by the statement of FR Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milutinovic for the Greek TV 'Antenna', saying that 'Macedonia does belong to Greece, but Skopje has also the right to that name, as the whole region is called Macedonia'. Greek papers claim that Miloshevic will come to Macedonia tomorrow, when the recognition under the constitutional name will take place. That will, as alleged, make the relations between Athens and Belgrade much colder. [07] MACEDONIAN ECONOMY REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THESSALONIKIRepresentatives of about 80 Northern Greek firms and of Macedonian firms met yesterday in the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce. On this occasion the President of the Chamber Dushan Petreski suggested a Macedonian Economy Representative Office to be opened in Thessaloniki. He said the documents regulating the trade exchange between the two countries need to be finaliesed.The Head of the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje Alexandros Mallias stressed that the perspective of the two countries is the mutual gradual incorporation in the EU. 'Greece, as a member of the EU, will give full support to Macedonia in its integration in the EU,' said Mallias. According to him, this would contribute to the stability in the region in general. [08] UN DELEGATION OF INCB IN MACEDONIAA delegation of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), led by Ambassador Herber Ocun, is paying a visit to Macedonia. It is realised in cooperation with UNPREDEP, and Ambassador Ocun will meet high Macedonian officials in charge of the narcotics control, as well as with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Macedonia, Henryk Sokalski. This is the first visit of UN representatives dealing with narcotics control to Macedonia, and it is planned to become regular.[09] SYMPOSIUM ON HUMAN RIGHTSOn yesterday's Symposium on human rights in Skopje, under the motto 'One Race, Human Race', a Declaration was passed for including the Board of Peace And Civil Initiatives of Macedonia in the European Week Against Racism, Nationalism and Intolerance, and in the UN Day Against Racism and All Kinds of Discrimination. The 'Manifest of Krushevo' was pointed out as an inspiration and a codex for the present and the future values of human rights.[10] MACEDONIAN STOCK MARKET IN OPERATION BY THE END OF MARCHMacedonian Stock Market of long term securities will officially begin to work on 28 March. This was decided yesterday by the Administration Board of the Stock Market.The public was informed that two Commissions (one for securities and another for admission of new members in the Stock Market) will run the operation. Trade with securities will be done twice a week, on Tuesdays and on Thursdays. The mediating compensations will be 0.3% of the value of stocks and bonds, and trade compensation will be 0.5%. The start will be the sale at the so-called second stock market of Tutunska Banka, Balkan Banka and Invest Banka. It was suggested that trade with bonds issued for the rehabilitation of the banking system in Macedonia takes place at the first market. At the third, so-called unofficial market, residual stocks of 'Agroplod' from Resen, at the disposal of the Privatisation Agency, will be offered. There are discussions on placing other stocks and bonds possessed by this Agency and by the one for Rehabilitation of Banks. [11] YEAR STARTED WITH INCREASED PRODUCTIONThe latest data of the Macedonian Statistics Institute show that the industrial production in February in Macedonia has increased 5% in comparison with January 1996. It is mostly due to the increase of the means of production of 24.5% and of the reproduction materials (11.4%). The consumer goods production has, on the other hand, decreased 4.5%.Industrial production in January and February 1995 has increased 8.7% compared to the same months last year. MILS SUPPLEMENT[12] Macedonians Should Not Be Frightened by The Albanian Requests('Fokus', 15 March 1996; Interview with Ibrahim Rugova, leader of Albanians in Kosovo)Q: Do you agree with the opinion of some Macedonians that the normalisation of the situation in Kosovo will reduce the pressure of Albanians in Macedonia?The solving of the Kosovo issue in accordance with the political will of the people would calm down all the Albanians in the Balkans. That is a very important issue. Q: Do you think there would have been no Mala Rechica and Albanian university in Macedonia if the university in Kosovo was not closed? Well, with the creation of the new states and their changed situation, Albanians wanted to have universities there. I think we have to be flexible about it. We will no longer have the old communist universities: one university, one state, one hoja (a Muslim priest)... There will be private and other institutions, maybe better than the public ones. Not maybe, there will be private universities for sure, as well as special institutions, centres, etc. Q: The opinion in Macedonia is that the university in Mala Rechica is an imported thing, a substitute for the Kosovo university. That is a wrong opinion, as the Kosovo university exists and works. We even have better results and greater interest than before. People who want to study come now, not matter what is their perspective. Despite the difficult situation in Kosovo, people freed themselves from the old system and their attitudes have changed. That is the new perspective. I call it 'the new generation of the Republic'. Those are new people knocking on the door. I want them to come to the university in the greatest possible number, as they are pragmatic people, without all the former traditions of the system and the Balkans. Those are people who speak foreign languages and have modern views. Q: You are aware, however, that a university is understood as an expression of the constitutionality of the people, aren't you? We have to get rid of that understanding. It will be a contribution of the educated Albanians in future. University in Skopje, Tetovo, Bitola - pluralism, competition, that is the concept. I remember being a student when we established the University in Pristine. It stirred former Yugoslavia very much, as well as the Television Pristine. It were also hard times. But now the situation is new. Q: Do you think the constitutional status of Albanians will not federalize Macedonia? That is not a question of federalization. I can see nothing wrong at making the Albanians a constitutional people in Macedonia. And the federalization may be considered as territorial, but Albanians did not want that. Q: Federalization, constitutional status, which understands the right of self-determination which leads to secession ... Would you agree these are not very pleasant associations in the minds of Macedonians? There is that all scheme of self-determination, and if one people decides to live with another one in a country, that is a positive thing. Because we will have an integration of the Balkans in future. An independent Kosovo will alleviate the circulation between Macedonia and Kosovo, between Albania and Serbia. Q: This issue is becoming a hot one lately, since the public requests of Albanians in Macedonia resulted in colder inter- ethnic relations. But we have to develop the new relations without any fears. The requests and possibilities have to be discussed. Time has to pass for a new attitude to be established. Macedonian party should not be afraid. Q: And what would you say about the fact that Macedonians, unlikely Albanians, do not have another home country? I do not accept that. We were the third most numerous people in former Yugoslavia and we were treated as a minority, as a devil. I see this as national solving of the issue. We, Albanians, did not work on gathering all Albanians in one country. We must accept some truths. Our people were separated in 1913, and there are maybe more of us outside than inside Albania. The situation is the same with the Macedonians. And now one can hear opinions that Kosovo will be a second Albanian state. Well it will be a state of the majority people in Kosovo - the Albanians, and of the minority - the Serbs. I do not deny the Serbian interests in Kosovo, we have to get rid of that. Q: Don't you think you are too optimistic? No, I am very pragmatic. I work, I keep relations. And to be optimistic is not such a bad thing, is it? Q: When you talk about the requests of Albanians, do you take into account the suspicion of Macedonians? There is a great number of Macedonians outside the country, as well as the Albanians. We have to get used to discussing. Albanians were divided, and are divided still. So are the Macedonians, and other people. But, we have to discuss. Q: Wouldn't it be good if Greece and Bulgaria were in a mood to discuss such issue? They will be. I want to stress once again that a country such as Macedonia will be stronger with Albanians. We must work on political acclimatization of the people, on their getting used to live together, not only formally. We should be fed up with the ideas we had in former Yugoslavia. That was our biggest mistake! (end)mils news 20 March 1996 |
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