MACEDONIA/U-S (S) BY DAVID GOLLUST/WASHINGTON

From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)

DATE=5/17/95

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-178969

TITLE=MACEDONIA/U-S (S)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: THE DEFENSE MINISTER OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA HAS APPEALED IN WASHINGTON FOR AN END TO THE GREEK ECONOMIC BLOCKADE OF HIS COUNTRY. THE DEFENSE MINISTER -- BLAGOJ HANDZISKI (EDS: PRONOUNCED BLAH-GOY HAN-GISKI) IS THE HIGHEST RANKING MEMBER OF HIS GOVERNMENT TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO WASHINGTON. A REPORT FROM V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST.

TEXT: THE MACEDONIAN DEFENSE CHIEF SAYS THE GREEK BLOCKADE IS COSTING HIS COUNTRY MORE THAN 600-MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR -- AND IS CONTRIBUTING TO INSTABLILITY THAT COULD CAUSE THE BALKANS CONFLICT TO SPREAD SOUTHWARD.

GREECE OBJECTS TO THE USE OF THE NAME MACEDONIA AND TO THE SKOPJE GOVERNMENT'S USE OF A BURSTING SUN ON ITS FLAG -- BOTH OF WHICH, IT ARGUES, USURP GREECE'S HISTORICAL HERITAGE.

MR. HANDZISKI, HEARD THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, APPEALED FOR U-S HELP IN ARRANGING TALKS WITH GREECE -- SAYING ALL ISSUES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NAME MACEDONIA WOULD BE ON THE TABLE:

            ///HANDZISKI (INTERPERETER) ACTUALITY///

THE PROBLEM OF THE NAME COULD NOT FALL UNDER ANY DISCUSSION. YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE INDENTITY OF A SINGLE PERSON -- LET ALONE OF A WHOLE NATION. ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS WITHIN THE DISPUTE WITH GREECE ARE SOLVABLE WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

                          ///END ACT///

THE MACEDONIAN MINISTER, WHO HELD TALKS WITH DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY EARLIER THIS WEEK, SAID THE AMERICAN-LED U-N OBSERVER FORCE IN HIS COUNTRY MIGHT HAVE TO BE ENLARGED -- IF BALKANS FIGHTING CONTINUES TO ESCALATE. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/LTJ/GPT

17-May-95 12:24 PM EDT (1624 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America