In a comment yesterday, Macedonian Television says, "Having in mind Macedonia's stance and the news on greater understanding by Greece which were brought to Rome by UN and US mediators Vance and Nimitz, is a solid basis for Skopje and Athens - helped by the international mediators, but no more and no less than necessary - to try and sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible and to go over all relevant issues step by step and in a manner becoming two European countries. Without any preconditions, without outsmarting each other and, most importantly, without the Greek embargo which is harmful not only for Skopje."
Gligorov also pointed out that the talks might start next month.
Nova Makedonija's corespondent from Athens, however, reports that Evangelos Venizelos, spokesman for the Greek government, said that it was not clear whether Gligorov made the statement for domestic or outside use; nevertheless, it was stated that Gligorov had proposed a direct meeting with Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, but only after the embargo has been lifted.
They will exchange ideas on issues of common interest, particularly on bilateral relations and economic and political cooperation. This is a first-ever visit paid to China by a Macedonian politician.
As for Macedonia's demands to be included in NATO, those are an expression of the Balkan countries to become a part of a collective security system, as it turned out that OSCE fails to act as one." Macedonia's relations with the US, according to Andov, are what they are owing to the fact that "the US has never acted to change borders and maps in these parts of the Balkans as other powers have." Andov refuted rumors of alleged Macedonian-Yugoslav talks on a possible confederation, adding the question of economic integration is still unreal, since disintegration trends are still only too powerful in the region.
- In association with several foreign and domestic non-governmental organizations, the Macedonian office of the Regional Ecology Center in Budapest will organize 3 seminars for ecology activists this summer. This is to enable several non-governmental organizations to initiate local campaigns for environmental protection.
- Along with 13 other East and West European countries, Macedonia, as a CEE-WEB member, will be included in a joint campaign, as part of the European year of environmental protection. The goal of the campaign is to raise conscience for a need for agriculture which will not disturb the biological variety.
Nevertheless, Albanians in Macedonia have organized themselves and successfully held a referendum on political and territorial autonomy in Macedonia. As far as this party is concerned, the process of establishing Macedonia as a state will never be completed without a solution for the Albanian question."
Party members re-elected Halimi a president. A while ago, two parliament members of NDP left the party and declared themselves independent members of parliament, due to disagreements with the party leadership.
The party criticized the work of Parliament which, as it was said, failed to gather enough strength to pass the several system laws necessary for a democratic state to function. It also attacked the activities of certain humanitarian organizations, including the Soros Foundation, for "creating an impression that the domestic policy is not made up with own forces." The latest visit of a Macedonian delegation to the United States was criticized for having offered "peripheral guarantees, instead of full diplomatic ties with America." Party officials warned against continued worsening of ethnic relations in western Macedonia, pointing to an insufficient engagement of the police to deal away with pressures on Macedonians, particularly string in Debarska Zhupa and the Rekan region.
"My discussions with the President of Macedonia and other officials were private, but, since your article entitled Obstinate Political Arbitration claims to know the contents of those discussions, I an entitled to correct some misinterpretations of my views.
In my meeting with President Gligorov in Budapest on January 25, I did not support the so-called University at Tetovo as the article alleges. On the contrary, I called it a political provocation and I begged President Gligorov not to be provoked. I argued that using police methods to suppress the so-called University would be wrong and would only mobilize the ethnic Albanian population for in its support.
Instead, the Macedonian government should try to satisfy the legitimate aspirations of the Albanian population for a higher level of instruction in primary and secondary schools and to this end prepare teachers in Albanian at the pedagogical academy. I made exactly the same point at the round-table discussion at the University "Kiril and Metodij". Incidentally, I had nothing to do with organizing the round-table and did not request the two pro-rectors of the so-called Tetovo University to be invited and had no advance knowledge that they would be present.
In none of my discussions have I advocated that the Albanian minority should "enjoy all the rights as a constitutional nation, equal to the Macedonians." That would lead to the disintegration of Macedonia. I advocated a civic concept of citizenship where ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians enjoy equal rights. That is very different from the concept of two nations on the territory of Macedonia. I am convinced that Macedonia can exist as an independent country only on the basis of the civic concept and I was under the impression that the president and government of Macedonia were firmly committed to that concept. That was why I championed the Macedonian cause in the world. Your article indicates that I may have been mistaken.
In my correspondence with President Gligorov I did refer to Slavic Macedonians and he objected to the use of that word. But if you have a state called Macedonia - to which you are entitled - you must distinguish between ethnic Macedonians and other ethnic groups. If you insist that all citizens of Macedonia and Macedonians you will commit the same crime against the Albanians and other ethnic groups in Macedonia as the Greeks committed against the Slavic Macedonians in Greece.
I expressed my views on the flag in my 1992 letter addressed to the Macedonian Parliament on the occasion of my offer of a $25 million loan. I said then that it was an unfortunate choice. The Greeks were justified in considering it provocative and it would strengthen Macedonia's case if it changed the flag of its own volition. I haven't changed my opinion.
I was trying to help Macedonia in settling its dispute with Greece and I proved myself a true friend of Macedonia at a time of need. At all times I acted with the full knowledge and encouragement of the President of the Republic. With a heavy hart I shall withdraw from any further meddling in the Greek-Macedonian dispute. I shall continue my support of the Open Society Institute in Macedonia as long as there are people in Macedonia who believe in an open and multi-ethnic society and a civic concept of citizenship and as long as the Open Society Institute is free to pursue these goals."
In an article entitled Obstinate Political Arbitration of May 19, the author Nevenka Mitreva stated "information" concerning the round-table of George Soros with journalists of independent media, broadcast on May 10 by A1 Television, saying that the discussion "had been previously well-thought and roles had been assigned at a closed-door meeting of the Institute's Council."
The discussion between Soros and reporters was recorded on May 9 and the first meeting of Soros and the Council occurred on may 9, following the promotion of his book. Therefore, it is obvious that the Council had neither an open, nor a closed-door meeting prior to the recording of the TV debate. Moreover, Soros stated his impressions of the shooting of the show to those present at the promotion of his book.
Therefore, the very chronology of the events refutes this claim.
The Council also informs the public that the Soros Foundation in Macedonia has been registered with the Registry of Representative Office of Foreigners in the Republic of Macedonia under registering number 63, on 15 September 1992, and upon an approval by the foreign ministry, under the name of a Open Society Institute - Skopje. Decisions of 2 November 1992, 22 February 1993 and 1 June 1994, registered changes in the name of the organization which is now entitled Open Society Institute - Macedonia. On a basis of the same registration, the Foundation has opened a non-resident account with the Stopanska Banka.
This is to refute the claim that the Institute is a "not registered, but made legal", as stated in the same article.
Answer: The answer to this may come as a surprise. I do not see this as a threatening development. I have just returned from a trip to Moscow with President Clinton. Our president told Russian president Yeltsin he would welcome the involvement of the Russian Federation into European security issues. If we want a trans-Atlantic security system which would include all countries, we have to secure a place for Russia in it. Therefore, just as the US has its bilateral relations with European countries, the Russian efforts to establish similar relations is by no means a threat. On the contrary. I look upon this as a way to preserve the role of Russia in security issues in Europe. The Bulgarians have had changes in the government and a certain change in the tactics, but I do not believe the fundamental goals of Bulgaria's and Romania's policies have changed. The presidents of both countries have assured us that, in the long run, they view themselves as part of the Western security system. They are hoping, just as we are, that this system will be such that will secure a place for Russia in it, instead of being opposed to it.
Question: Let us go back to Macedonian-US bilateral relations. Does the present moment, characterized by unclear relations between the two countries, present a problem for the US Secretariat of Defense? I will mention only the fact that, according to what was issued as an official statement, the US is planing to provide some $450,000 as an aid in the field of scientific and technical cooperation. And, as far as I know, this agreement is still held up at the State Department and cannot be signed by Macedonia only because of the name used in it. This seems to be only one of the problems.
Answer: The US Defense Secretariat is doing all in its power to develop mutual military and relations in the defense. Despite other difficulties and unresolved issues in the bilateral relations, we have a considerable amount of money set aside for military training of Macedonian army officers. This is an enormous amount of money, when compared to the size of your country.
Question: This refers to the Defense Secretariat. What about the Department for Technical Cooperation, for instance?
Answer: We do not control the entire government. Naturally, there are other factors in the American-Macedonian relations. But, as I said, we are the ones responsible for relations in the field of security. Within the diplomatic contacts, we are trying to find ourselves and do all we can. I am very pleased and very proud with the progress we have made.
Question: In the end, let me ask you about the visit of the Greek political leader Miltiades Evert with whom you, I suppose, had interesting talks concerning security in the region.
Answer: Indeed we did. Mr. Evert is the leader of the opposition in Greece, and we contact senior officials of opposition parties every time they come to town. It was a pure coincidence that he came to Pentagon at the same time when Minister Handziski was there. We discussed a wide spectrum of issues. Of course, we also discussed the Balkans situation; as from the aspect of the mutual trust present during the talks, I would say I was very impressed by the positive approach of Mr. Evert to security in the Balkans. Naturally, he supports a strong and safe security system in the region and is aware of the very important role which could be played by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in this structure.
Question: Did you also discuss how the present situation of non existence of any relations between the two countries and the embargo affect the entire security in the region?
Answer: The Secretary told Mr. Evert that we are awaiting the day when the problem will be resolved, but, in its essence, it is a bilateral issue between Greece and your government, and we would not go into details.