MAK-NEWS 04/09/95 (M.I.L.S.)

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

M I L S N E W S

Skopje, 4 September 1995

[01] PEACE MISSION PROGRESS

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov met last Friday with Christopher Hill and James Pardjy, members of the US Team for the Peace Initiative for Bosnia and Hercegovina. They informed Gligorov about the purpose and results of the initiative, stressing that the success of this initiative is extremely important for the war in Bosnia and Hercegovina. They also exchanged thoughts on the situation in the Balkans and development of mutual relations between the US and Macedonia. A1 TV cites the statement of Christopher Hill, "We are part of Ambassador Holbrooke's working group, engaged in a peace quest and mission which will led to a global solution to the current problem in former Yugoslavia. As part of it we wanted to consult with your president and for him to help us with his thoughts as he is a very influential figure in the region.''

Ambassador Holbrooke is scheduled to arrive in Skopje today.

[02] US GUARANTIES FOR CHANGE OF THE NAME AND CONSTITUTION, STATES HOLBROOKE

Macedonian TV reports that German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel yesterday expressed conviction that the dispute between Macedonia and Greece will soon be solved. He stated to the Greek Tv station Mega that he can see a green light for solution of the dispute. According to Greek sources US mediator Richard Holbrooke's visit to Athens today, which is officially for discussion on the Bosnian situation, is also related to Macedonia since Washington wants to completely solve the problems which emerged when Yugoslavia parted. The same sources say that Holbrooke wants to persuade the Greek Prime Minister Papandreu to partially lift the embargo on Macedonia in exchange for US guaranties for changing of the flag and certain articles of the constitution of Macedonia in the near future.

[03] MACEDONIA TO BE ADMITTED TO THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL

"Macedonia will be admitted to the European Council most probably by the end of November this year " said Macedonian Parliamentarian President Stojan Andov. During the special session of the Inter Parliamentarian Council in New York he met with the current and future president of the European Council.

[04] MACEDONIA - CHAIRMAN OF THE ECONOMY COMMITTEE

Macedonian chairing of the UN Group for Eastern European countries ended last Friday. At the working meeting, attended by the Ambassadors from 21 countries including Macedonian Ambassador Denko Maleski, candidacies for the 50th General Assembly were established. The Foreign Ministry announced that the candidacy of Republic of Macedonia to chair the next jubilee General Assembly was unanimously accepted.

[05] MACEDONIAN AMBASSADORS TO ESTONIA AND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov appointed Tihomir Ilievski, currently the ambassador to Sweden, to the additional post of ambassador to the Republic of Estonia, and Risto Nikovski, currently ambassador to the United Kingdom, to the additional post of ambassador to the Republic of Ireland.

[06] MACEDONIANS ATTEND WORLD CONFERENCE OF WOMEN

A Macedonian Governmental delegation has gone to Peking, China, where it will take part in the work of 4th UN World Women's Conference which starts today. The delegation is led by Science Minister Sofija Todorova.

[07] SKOPJE CITY HALL DELEGATION IN HAGUE

Skopje City hall delegation, led by President Jove Kekenovski, will take part in the work of World Congress of Union of Local Self-Management Departments held in Hague, Holland , September 3 - 7. The Congress will be attended by 1,500 members from all around the world who will discuss the international cooperation of the units of local self- government in the field of mutual understanding and political and economic development as well.

[08] GLIGOROV GREETS AMERICAN -CANADIAN ORTHODOX EPARCHY

Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov in special written message, greeted the members of the 21st session of theChurch Synod of the American - Canadian Eparchy of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, held in Detroit, US. He sent an appeal to the Macedonians living in the North American continent to promote relations and cooperation in brotherhood within their own country - Macedonia. Government President Branko Crvenkovski also sent a letter where he stresses that the Macedonian Government will continue to take care and create conditions for closer mutual communication, informing and cooperating with the compatriots living in Canada and America.

[09] SALE OF MACEDONIAN TOBACCO ENTERPRISES UNSUCCESSFUL

Three of four tobacco enterprises in the Republic received an official announcement from the Macedonian Agency for Transformation of Enterprises with Social Capital, saying that the negotiations for sale of Makedonija Tabak, Tutunski Kombinat of Skopje and Tutunski Kombinat of Prilep ended without any suitable offer. Namely these three enterprises were offered for sale by international tender for sale on January 16. The Agency evaluated that these negotiations are unsuccessful and the enterprises should recommend a privatization by Law for Privatization of Republic of Macedonia. Meantime Phillip Morris has expressed interest in Makedonija Tabak and Tutunski Kombinat -Prilep, while Reynolds was interested in Tutunski Kombinat - Skopje.

According to the Agency there are still chances for the sale of Tutunski Kombinat - Kumanovo to the Reynolds company and the Agency will have more information about it in September 15 -20.

MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT :

[10] MEET THE AUSTRALIAN - MACEDONIAN INTELECTUALS: MICHAEL RADIN (Part I)

Question : The Macedonian Communities in the new homelands, mainly Australia, USA, Canada and Europe, have gone through a stormy period, particularly in the last few years, since the independence of a country for all Macedonians, the Republic of Macedonia. How according to you, can the form and content of national traditions be modernized and adapted in the new homelands?

Answer : It is a vitally important that Macedonians develop appropriate insights into the migratory and settlement processes that have provided them with a new sense of individual and group identity, as well as security and well - being. A complementary understanding of the Australian landscape in terms of the prevailing ethos value - systems, institutional environment and general way of life is also essential as a core context for these processes. The first - generation Macedonians migrants, like others, unwitting commodities in the global transference of labour this century, have tended to isolate themselves in quasi - "ghettoistic" social patterns, due basically to their traditional lack of literacy and general educational skills, and their need for "security" . This has genuinely inhibited the development of a better understanding of the Australian host environment (until at least the arrival of the second and third equal footing in the mainstream Australian community, economy and other institutions with other Australians, irrespective of their ethnic - cultural background. The symptoms of this peculiar legacy are evident - generally low self - esteem, ignorance about their rights, an overly cautious conservatism and resistance to change, and the hitherto absence of a leadership pool in the communities of competence and caliber equal to that of other groups.

Australia's democratic multiculturalism offers new settlers a unique opportunity - maintain your languages, cultures and traditional values, but do so within the framework of prevailing loyalty to this country, respect for its laws and institutions, acceptance of the general ethos, and recognition of the similar rights and responsibilities of others - it is a type of social contract. These then have become the "core values" of the Australian nation, and thus we must adapt and fashion our cultural experiences and attributes so that they are relevant and meaningful in a contemporary context, and when we articulate them, it must be in a way that makes a positive contribution to the Australian social environment. It is in this way then that one can see the emergence over time of a truly Australian - Macedonian persona, in similar fashion to the other such core - cultures which dynamically interact in the Australian landscape. These will be vivacious, living cultures which will continue to grow and develop, and nourish their adherents in a powerful way. In contrast, those who only aspire to maintaining or preserving their traditional cultures in the form found in the homeland, those who seek to "find Macedonia in Australia" in blissful ignorance of the Australian setting, are clearly in the wrong place in the wrong time. Theirs is a dead culture, and if they wish to promulgate it, they should go back to Macedonia, where ironically, they will also find that significant social change has taken place. In my view, the emergence and consolation of a new and dynamic Australian - Macedonian culture (and by definition American - Macedonian, Canadian - Macedonian etc), already under way, is as inevitable as Australia becoming a Republic.

Question : how it is possible to find the best and least painful means of co- operation between Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia and Macedonians in the Diaspora? How is it possible to eliminate the barriers set up by party politics, propaganda and ideology? In particular, how shall the problem of cooperation with Macedonians in Greece, Bulgaria and Albania be resolved?

Answer: The inevitable corollary of democratization an independence in the Republic has been confusion, and in some quarters, chaos and anarchy, particularly in the political and economic sectors. This is not a new phenomenon - these "birth - pains" after all have been experienced by many greater nations in history, and recently by almost all of the former Eastern block countries. Released from generations of authoritarianism, and the suffocation of a command economy, Macedonian citizens hurried to use their new - found freedoms to further their own individual causes, and almost all of them forgot about the needs of the new nation. While demanding and exercising new individual rights, they overlooked their social responsibilities, which is typical of say, the dominant ethos in the western capitalist societies. Except that the western nations have already established, well - resourced, efficient and sophisticated socio-political systems and structures, as well as wealthy, burgeoning market economies which long ago transcended "national " boundaries.

Unfortunately, elements of this debilitating political culture in the Republic have inevitably now manifested themselves in the Diaspora. The single - most destructive element in my view, has been the appearance of political parties, which has only served to exacerbate tensions, confusion and division. A handful of political self - seekers (and those in their associated "front" organisations, such as the Congresses), in search of , ostensibly, funds for their own individual and party appetites as well as higher political "ratings", have regularly plundered the communities in the west, exploiting the misguided passions and patriotic fervour of the ignorant, who must practice "idolatry" to preserve and affirm their own fragile sense of worth. These party "luminaries" have in turn co-opted as local representatives and organizers those who now sense that "their time has come", an opportunity for retribution and empire-building that may have previously been denied to them, and would still be so denied, were merit a factor. In simple terms, Macedonians who still have a sense of obligation to their home - land, have now been forced to take sides, to declare themselves ideologically, or risk facing the wrath of these political neophytes who take particular delight in labeling all those that do not agree with them as "anti - Macedonian" ! Rest assured, "ednoumie" has not died, it has merely changed sides. All of this has merely added to the impossibility of the task of engendering a sense of unity, cooperation and consensus in the service of the Macedonian cause and its culture. In my view, those who aspire to political or party activism in Australia, should join Australian parties, where hopefully over time their influence over decision - making processes will become manifest and challenge those who use such office to deliberately disadvantage Australian - Macedonians, and wreak upon them injustice! Those of course who want to be active in Macedonian parties, should simply show some courage and conviction (instead of duplicity), and go back to Macedonia, permanently. Macedonian parties have no role here ; they are a de stabilizing force, and those in their service in Australia are only contributing to the community's rapid deterioration and descent into irrelevance. Cooperation with the Republic should take the form of purely cultural religious and educational links with the government organs established by the Republic this purpose, irrespective of which party happens to be in power at the time. In government, they should be treated as state and not party representatives, and they must reciprocate in this manner, without fear or favour. Appropriate respect should be paid to holders of such offices, again irrespective of the party affiliation of the person concerned, in the way that one would normally pay respect to holders of such office in other civilized nations. This after all, is the essence of democracy, and the hallmark of a nation's maturity and self - confidence. It seems that we Macedonians however, have a way to go yet.

However, when the Republic's existence or integrity is under attack, as it is in present, then defensive political action is appropriate, although this must take the form of lawful and democratic protest and support, and without it being ideological or sectarian in character. These are precisely the forms of action that have been implemented in the west since 1988, in defense of the legitimate human rights and fundamental freedoms of Macedonians living in Greece, Albania and Bulgaria; such actions are worthy, they have found some success, and they must obviously continue with even greater degrees of sophistication and support.

(end)

Mils News 4 September, 1995

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