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USIA - Text: Burns on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 97-03-19United States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>TEXT: BURNS ON THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA(3/19 statement lauds interethnic trust and respect) (290)Washington -- The United States supports the territorial integrity and peaceful democratic development of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and welcomes the declaration by the Parliament on promoting interethnic trust and respect, says State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns.Burns said in a statement issued March 19 that "substantial progress has been achieved" by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in providing all its citizens "with equal human and civil rights and guaranteeing protection of cultural diversity." Following is the text of Burns' statement: (Begin text)The United States strongly supports the territorial integrity and peaceful democratic development of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which is an essential element of stability in the region. We have demonstrated that commitment with the presence of over 500 U.S. troops and with considerable financial assistance.We welcome the declaration by the Parliament on promoting interethnic trust and respect. We are especially encouraged by the broad support this resolution has received among the different political parties. The United States supports the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in providing all its citizens with equal human and civil rights and guaranteeing protection of cultural diversity. We believe that substantial progress has been achieved. We do not support efforts to establish parallel structures, nor do we support any effort to establish ethnically-based federalism in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. We urge all citizens and political parties to work within existing legal and political structures to address their concerns through peaceful, democratic means. We condemn acts of intimidation directed against ethnic nationalities. These have no place in a civil society. (End text)From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.govUnited States Information Agency: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |