Albanian Rebels Say Macedonian Conflict Could Restart Without Reforms Posted April 10, 2001
http://www.europeaninternet.com/macedonia/news.php3?id=332948&brief=text
Albanian Rebels Say Macedonian Conflict Could Restart Without Reforms
SKOPJE, Apr 9, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) The main ethnic Albanian political party in Macedonia, the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA), said Sunday that guerrilla warfare could resume if the republic's constitution was not changed.
"If our demands for a revision of the constitution are not followed up, the armed Albanian groups could begin their activities again," DPA vice-president Menduh Thaci said at a press conference.
Thaci said the "ethno-centric" nature of the constitution was behind the crisis.
Ethnic Albanians make up at least 25 percent of Slav-dominated Macedonia's two-million strong population and they are demanding equal constitutional rights.
Besides changes to the constitution, Thaci said his party wanted "proportional representation for Albanians in institutions," but he said the DPA did not want Macedonia turned into a federal state immediately.
Macedonia's northern border with Kosovo was the scene of heavy fighting in February and March between government troops and rebels of the National Liberation Army (NLA), who said they were defending minority rights.
Skopje said it had the insurrection under control on March 31, claiming that most of the rebel fighters and arms were coming from the neighboring Serbian province of Kosovo. ((c) 2001 Agence France Presse)
Macedonian army brutality condemned Posted April 10, 2001
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,471023,00.html
Macedonian army brutality condemned
Jonathan Steele in Skopje and Ian Black in Luxembourg
Tuesday April 10, 2001
The Guardian
International monitors in Macedonia have complained to the government about the arrest and beating of scores of ethnic Albanian civilians, and the vandalising of dozens of houses, by security forces "cleaning up" after the offensive against Albanian guerrillas.
Evidence of the damage was presented by representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe as Macedonia was formally welcomed into the "extended European family" in Luxembourg.
Flanked by EU foreign ministers, the Macedonian prime minister, Ljubco Georgievski, promised to meet the June deadline for improved relations between the ethnically Slav majority and the restive Albanian minority.
Mr Georgievski spoke of his "joy and pride" at the signing of a "stabilisation and association agreement" with the EU which gives Macedonia generous trade terms and strong political support.
Macedonia, which a month ago seemed close to civil war, is the first former Yugoslav republic to benefit from such an agreement.
Croatia is next in line for a special relationship, while the wealthier and long-peaceful Slovenia is already negotiating full EU membership.
The OSCE representatives visited most of the mountain villages suspected of being Albanian guerrilla bases and returned with sheafs of photographs of homes ransacked and marked with crosses as a token of Macedonian triumph. The Slavic Macedonians are Orthodox Christian. Most Albanians are Muslim.
"We were pleasantly surprised by the army's success but we don't want silly faux pas caused by heavy-handedness and beatings," a western diplomat said yesterday.
In the worst incident reported by the monitors, the army killed a boy of 16 who had returned by taxi with two companions from the city of Tetovo to Selce, once the stronghold of the self-styled National Liberation Army, to look after their sheep. He was shot four times.
One of the other boys, a deaf-mute, is said to be seriously traumatised by the incident, which occurred on Friday.
The Macedonian army says three suspected NLA guerrillas approached troops, who fired in self-defence.
The observers found that every car in Selce had its windows smashed. Only a few people were left in the village, from which the entire civilian population fled during the intense artillery bombardment which preceded an assault by special forces and police officers.
Cupboard drawers and clothes were strewn over the floor, suggesting that there had been a search for jewellery and valuables.
But television sets, videos, and fridges were largely still in place, unlike in the Albanian homes looted by Serb forces in Kosovo two years ago.
In the nearby village of Sipkovica, which has more than 200 houses, only about 10 had been searched, and nothing was broken. No weapons were found there.
In other villages the police arrested 200 people in the first two days of their sweep. The monitors have photographs of dozens of severely bruised men. Many of them were treated in Tetovo hospital.
"Several had broken ribs and noses, and your kidneys don't function too well after you've been with the police," one of the monitors said yesterday.
"People were just rounded up on their way to work."
Nevertheless, the EU felt able to indulge in a little cautious self-congratulation in Luxembourg, where its security and foreign policy supremo Javier Solana, the architect of yesterday's agreement, said: "There is a greater sense of stability, and the security environment has also improved significantly. We must begin to see results soon."
Anna Lindh, the foreign minister of Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency, told Mr Georgievski: "You have an enormous responsibility in front of you ... and I'm sure you're going to succeed."
Macedonia signs accord to move closer to EU Posted April 9, 2001
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010409/1/me5c.html
Monday April 9, 7:33 PM
Macedonia signs accord to move closer to EU
LUXEMBOURG, April 9 (AFP) -
Macedonia signed Monday an association and stabilisation accord that marks the first step towards membership in the European Union and could help reconcile Slavs and ethnic Albanians.
Macedonia became the first Balkan state to sign such accord, during the EU foreign ministers meeting here Monday.
NLA Must Be Invited To The Dialogue (Xhevat Ademi, spokesman for the National Democratic Party) Posted April 8, 2001
http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/xhevat%20ademi.htm
Xhevat Ademi, spokesman for the National Democratic Party
NLA Must Be Invited To The Dialogue
Macedonian politicians, and unfortunately even the Albanian ones, kept sending their messages of willingness, readiness and dialogue, statements that served them well for their public purposes.. But this had never taken place in reality.
April 2001
Q: Your party is not the official political wing of NLA?
A: Both the Albanian and the international public knows that the newly established National Democratic Party is not the political wing of the National Liberation Army. Naturally, just as any other Albanian, we also have information's on who are those young man and woman that reached for arms and fight to implement their ideals and political demands, which can be considered as unanimous demands of the entire Albanian people here in Macedonia.
We had no official contacts with NLA leaders. However, we assess that in order to surpass the present situation and avoid the worst-case-scenario, the inclusion of other countries in this civic war, which no one wants to see happening, it is absolutely unavoidable that NLA political representatives would attend and participate at the upcoming negotiations.
It is not in up to us to say who would they be. I believe they themselves would make that public and determine who would have their mandate to represent them politically.
Q: Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim addmited that the Government must do more to integrate the Albanian community within state institutions. Isn't this a good chance for opening a dialogue and solve the problems peacefully?
A: I must say that Macedonia kept cultivating the standards of a double moral for ten years in a row. Macedonian politicians, and unfortunately even the Albanian ones, kept sending their messages of willingness, readiness and dialogue, statements that served them well for their public purposes.. But this had never taken place in reality.
And the recent Tetova events have proven the opposite, as the broad offensive operation against the Albanian villages had taken place just 2 or 3 days after the Macedonian Assembly agreed on a resolution that affirmed the need for a dialogue. Minister Kerim must stand more specific in his offer. We consider that the present developments, assisted by the international community, would not help to find a solution to this situation.
Q: You are very critical against the two Albanian political parties in Macedonia, PDP and DPA, and you gave public support to NLA and their goals. Do you fear that your party might be labeled as a radical party in Macedonia?
A: It is true that we are highly critical against the two Albanian political parties. We consider that apart from the afore mentioned reasons, the irresponsible behavior of the Albanian political leadership is another generator of the crisis and should be held responsible for all that had happened in here. For more than 10 years, the Albanian political leadership acted in a most irresponsible manner, as they choose no methods to get to the government and power and pretend to be a representative of the political will of the Albanians. As a result of such irresponsibility, now we have entire generations of Albanian youth that found themselves deceived although they kept demanding solutions to their many problems.
We fully agree with the public political demands of NLA, although we have our reserves regarding the way of implementing them. However, this does not mean that one should not talk to these people. I avail myself of this opportunity to appeal to all factors, be they Albanian or international, that any other solution that would not include the representatives of the National Liberation Army, or persistence on a dialogue with already consumed figures, would not be productive and would certainly fail.
THE ARGUMENT AGAINST AK-47 (Shkelzen Maliqi) Posted April 8, 2001
http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/maliqiak47.htm
THE ARGUMENT AGAINST AK-47
The policy of the AK-47, like every other militant policy, is extremely dangerous. Wars can be won but they can be lost as well. In the wars in the former Yugoslavia, the policy of the AK-47 in most cases produced results but they were exceptions.
By Shkelzen Maliqi
April 08, 2001
(KOHA DITORE)
A few days ago I published an article headlined "The policy of the AK-47", which some understood as support for the war in Macedonia. In that article, where I only quoted a discussion I had with a militant friend of mine, I truly could not come up with arguments against the war because my interlocutor was decisive in his stand and left no room for opposing him.
I published our discussion, with some stylization in order to illustrate the dominating mood among militants on the issue that demonstrates the conviction of fanatics that "without the argument of the AK-47" there can be no serious penetration in national politics. He, my fanatic interlocutor, is by now already in the frontline. And he is not the only one. In Macedonia, in Kosovo and in the Albanian diaspora (especially former fighters and the youth) there is the euphoria of liberation similar to the one in 1998 when the Kosovo Liberation Army had emerged. The militants do not listen to anybody; the same goes for the former commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army who are being blamed by some people for the rebellion in Macedonia. But, most probably, these accusations are wrong. The militants are people separated from the political line of the former KLA. And this is the key problem at the moment. The militants do not listen to any politician or those who had the authority in the last war or to us who represent independent voices of the "civil society" or to the Albanian politicians in Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo.
A part of the media is contributing to this militant euphoria. And this is the second stage of doing politics that have consequences that are not controlled by the political parties. The imbalance of the Albanian politics, the lack of an national authority or platform has led to a catastrophe in which the fate of the nation is in the hands of a new militant group. Therefore, we enter a war without a clear vision of where it is taking us. We only have the continuation of politics with different means but not with a genuine political line. The responsibility for the current situation rests on all leaders: Rugova, Thaçi, Meidani, Nano, Meta, Haradinaj, Xhaferri and Ymeri. They, more or less, are responsible for the non-creation of preliminary conditions and instruments of urgent action to return the situation in their area of responsibility to normalcy and to create a joint platform for the discussion of national issues in accordance with the circumstances and capabilities the Albanians have today. Of course, politics is not without initiatives. PDSH and PPD in Macedonia appealed for the war to end. But this is not enough to put an end to the militant euphoria. The people think that they made the statement under pressure from Solana and the international bodies. Only a high national issue, a meeting of the most responsible minds, would bring back the political forces into the game.
The policy of the AK-47, like every other militant policy, is extremely dangerous. Wars can be won but they can be lost as well. In the wars in the former Yugoslavia, the policy of the AK-47 in most cases produced results but they were exceptions. In Croatia, despite the huge aid that the Serbs had in creating their republics with the help of the Yugoslav army, the rebellion failed. Even the rebellion in Presevo Valley has been partially successful.
In Macedonia's case, there are three major arguments against the continuation of war and the policy of the AK-47. I am underlining some of them. One, the danger of the escalation of the conflict is so big that no major national goal can justify the adventure of rebellion. The dictum that "the worse the better", without assessing the potential and its effects, can do more harm than good.
Two, continuing the war can be damaging not only to the Albanians in Macedonia but also to Kosovo, Presevo Valley and Albania. Not only the neighbours but the world as well is against the Albanians. Do we need isolation and sanctions, such as those that were applied against Milosevic's Serbia, in order to understand that arrogant militarism is against the national interest? The war in Macedonia may have a high price since it poses a danger to the future of the nation.
Three, continuing the war is more beneficial to the Macedonians and their neighbours than the Albanians. The extremist Macedonia, which fears the potentials for a major Albanian factor in the future, is interested in taking advantage of the rebellion to marginalize the Albanians. It seems that the Macedonian militants are counting on the Serb scenario of limiting the Albanian aspirations to limited autonomy, knowing that there will be no foreign intervention, as NATO did in Kosovo.
Four, if the political platform announced by the National Liberation Army in which it says that it would recognize Macedonia's sovereignty if the constitution is changed and the Albanians are offered equal rights---provided this is the definitive position supported by all militant groups---then it is accepted by all relevant Albanian and international groups, with some exceptions. What is not being accepted is the method, the war. The foreign ministers of France and Germany, Vedrine and Fischer, made a joint statement that says that the requests of the Albanians are legitimate, a fact that can be understood as a slap in the face for the nationalist politics of Macedonia. However, they said that they were against the militant methods for achieving the Albanian goals. This means that the political road is open as never before, whereas the AK-47 policy is closed and it leads to a dead end.
Five, the world will not allow the conflict to spread and continue. For the time being, NATO is observing the situation, but soon it is going to undertake concrete punitive measures, ranging from logistical and weapons assistance to Macedonia to direct intervention for extinguishing the Albanian insurgency. The militants of the AK-47 policy, not only for the sake of Kosovo but also for the sake of overall national interests, should in no way provoke a confrontation between the Albanians and NATO.
Six, every claim that the US, Germany or any other world superpower supports the war in Macedonia is wrong. The claims of Prime Minister Georgievski that Washington and Berlin bear the responsibility for the insurgency is wrong.
Seven, the situation of the Albanians in Macedonia was not and will never be as bad and hopeless as the Kosovo situation was before the emergence of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Macedonia has led an obstructive and discriminating nationalistic policy but not a destructive and threatening policy for the Albanians. As long as it is possible to achieve goals through political means, the "AK-47" has to be stopped.
There are also other more sophisticated arguments against the war. But the problem rests on the fact that things got out of hand and now the militants with the AK-47 are there, enthused by the euphoria and the false clarion call of the liberation war.
I have little hope that these arguments will be heard and debated in the Sharr Mountains and patriotic clubs in the west. The appeal is addressed more to our leaders who have filled their ears with the wax of irresponsibility and are not helping Xhaferri and Ymeri.
Out of 9.819 Policemen in Macedonia, Only 176 Are Ethnic Albanians! Posted April 8, 2001
http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/asimbeqiri.htm
Out of 9.819 Policemen in Macedonia, Only 176 Are Ethnic Albanians!
According to official data from the Interior Ministry, Albanians are represented with 1.8% in state police forces.
By Asim Beqiri
FAKTI - April 8, 2001
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Macedonia (MIAM) is one of the ministries where ethnic Albanians are the most discriminated by their representation. Although the ethnic Albanians represent 1/3 of the entire population, their presence in this ministry is rather symbolic, which could be proved by the official data presented by MIAM. The Ministry acknowledges that out of total number of 9.819 policemen, only 247 (2.52%) are from other ethnic groups in the country.
According to same data provided by the Ministry of Interior, ethnic Albanians represent only 1.8% in the structures of the Ministry, Macedonian Muslims 0.4%, Serbs 0.2%. Other ethnic groups (Turks, Rhomas etc) consist 0.2% of the employees.
One must emphasize that only during 1999 and 2000, the Ministry employed 129 new officers (99 only in year 2000). In a period 1994 - 1991, the Ministry recorded 118 new employments from the nationalities.
Despite of such most modest participation in the overall police structures in Macedonia, the situation with the representation of the ethnic groups in the organizational units of this Ministry is just as well dissatisfactory, including regions populated by a non-Macedonian majority population.
As an example, out of the overall number of employees at the Tetova Department of Internal Affairs, only 95 are from the nationalities, 83 of them ethnic Albanians. But if one takes into regard the fact that this Police department covers the region of Tetova and Gostivar, both towns with more than 80% ethnic Albanian population, the obvious conclusion is that the representation of ethnic Albanian is - again - more than symbolic. The same goes for the Ohrid Police Department, which covers several bigger towns with an ethnic Albanian majority. Out of the 64 employed (from the nationalities), only 36 are ethnic Albanians.
According to officials from the Ministry of Interior, the increase of number of employees in police forces from the ethnic groups, especially Albanians as the largest ethnic group (22.9% of the entire population, according to 1994 census), is one of the crucial preoccupations of this Ministry, both in the aspect of increasing the overall number of employees as well as their representation in leading positions
According to these officials, "some specific measures have already been undertaken by completing the team staffing as a result of changes in the Ministry. This resulted with the appointment of 7 officials (from ethnic groups) to high ranking positions, such as the Deputy minister of Interior, Undersecretary of the Department of Foreigners and Immigration, Head of the Gostivar Regional Department of Security and Counter Intelligence, Deputy Heads of Regional Department of NSA in Tetova and Kumanova, as well as the Head and Deputy head of Regional Department of the Ministry of Interior in Tetova".
There is no need to explain the importance of such appointments to high-ranking positions. However, one thing is for sure, and that is that ethnic Albanians should not be satisfied only with functions of Deputy Ministers or Undersecretaries or Heads of Departments, but they should insist on increasing the present number of ethnic Albanians in this Ministry, aiming to reach - if not 30%, as ethnic Albanians consider - at least 23% of the employees, which is in harmony with the official statistics on the number of Albanians in the country.
Peace or War, Which Alternative Should Be Supported? (Rufi Osmani) Posted April 8, 2001
http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/rufi.htm
Peace or War, Which Alternative Should Be Supported?
The war which has just erupted, problematized and internationalized as never before, the unresolved Albanian plight in Macedonia but the solution should be and will be only democratic and peaceful.
By Rufi Osmani
April 8, 2001
How to manage the conflict?
The Positive Alternative
The very act of rebellion by armed Albanians proves, in an explicit way, the huge failure of Albanian politics in Macedonia. The offers by the institutions (of the Macedonian government) to increasing democratic demands by the Albanians in Macedonia, have not kept pace with time. Since the reasons for the armed rebellion are political, they can be overcame by political means and offers, and only such a solution will lead to stability in the long-term. Macedonia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, which is also an essential need of Macedonians and the international community, is being respected by the groups of armed Albanians. This is a moment that could lead towards dialogue about issues that are being contested. International intervention is the first necessary step towards the beginning of a democratic dialogue. The end of military actions by armed Albanian groups is necessary to give a chance for negotiations to eliminate the issues that caused the fighting and, at the same time, the actions of the Macedonian military and police forces.
Negative Alternative
The other alternative, which in essence is the one currently being applied, will involve a large-scale of the continuation of the conflict, with tendencies towards expansion and the involvement of the civil element. This definitely leads to an inter-ethnic Macedonian-Albanian confrontation, with tragic consequences for the residents of Macedonia, as well as for the present and for the future of Macedonia as a state. A Pyrrhic victory on both sides of the front would in fact be the biggest defeats for the two nations living in Macedonia.
For the end
Who should talk to whom, is the main remaining dilemma, in essence, it is artificial. Why? Because there is only one answer. The talks could be carried on by different sides but the results of the talks will be determined by the ones who are fighting. Because, seeing the situation realistically, these are the ones that could end an armed conflict and resolve it. The others can only intervene, command, observe or even hinder. The war which has just erupted, problematized and internationalized as never before, the unresolved Albanian plight in Macedonia but the solution should be and will be only democratic and peaceful. End the war and solve the contest in peace. Peace in equality is the victory of all.
Filthy War of Macedonia and NLA Becoming an Important Factor Posted April 8, 2001
http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/krivenik.htm
Filthy War of Macedonia and NLA Becoming an Important Factor
The international community over encouraged the Macedonian Government to take action, which, besides resulting in victims from both Macedonia and Kosovo, resulted in making the NLA an important entity.
By Baton Haxhiu April 2001
Nothing is as it used to be before. Some shells hit the territory of Kosovo. Two civilians were killed and some others were wounded. A journalist of the AP was killed as well inside the territory of Kosovo. This is too much for the fragile peace in the region. If a group of Albanians made a mistake in the last month, then this does not mean that the Macedonians and their politics should make a same mistake.
The international community over encouraged the Macedonian Government to take action, which, besides resulting in victims from both Macedonia and Kosovo, resulted in making the NLA an important entity. The NLA was like a planted mine. There were two ways of de-mining it. The first is its political de-mining, whereas the second one is to hit it. The thing that occurred in the last week was a war, conducted by Macedonia and not only the NLA. And this war of Macedonia can turn into a filthy war, with all the terrible luggage of the wars in the Balkans.
If this is Macedonia's wish and if Europe still does not speak about the filthiness of this war, then we should be ready. Either we can quickly eliminate this danger or we will be going towards other new filthiness.
What the west can do for Macedonia? (By JAMES RUBIN) Posted April 8, 2001
http://www.balkanreport.com/angliski/jamesrubin.htm
What the west can do for Macedonia?
The lesson of the last decade is that early engagement in the Balkans can prevent the spread of violence, argues James Rubin
By JAMES RUBIN
April 8. 2001
The reportsfrom the Balkans are alltoo familiar: extremist attacks on the rise, moderate politicians losing ground and Nato reluctant to act. This time it is the turn of Tetovo, Macedonia and the Presevo Valley in southern Serbia. If the west does not act soon, the fighting could spin out of control.
The one clear lesson of the last decade is that early engagement in the Balkans is far cheaper and more effective than waiting for the violence to spread. Unfortunately, the US administration has yet to respond in a serious way.
As someone who actively supported the Albanian cause in Kosovo, I believe it is critical to distinguish between the current situation and the one that led to Nato's successful air campaign on behalf of Kosovo's Albanians two years ago. Then, the Albanians faced the brutality and injustice of the policies of Slobodan Milosevic, who repeatedly refused to accept diplomatic solutions proposed over months of negotiations.
In contrast, today's Serbian and Macedonian regimes have been willing to address legitimate political demands of their Albanian populations, and both governments have shown restraint towards extremists. And unlike in 1998 and 1999, the insurgents do not reflect the mood of most Albanians in the region.
Some suggest that Nato's intervention is the root cause of today's conflict. This is nonsense.
Had Nato not intervened, the problems in Macedonia would be far worse, as hundreds of thousands of angry Albanian refugees would have been driven out of Kosovo and already destabilised Macedonia, many tens of thousands more would probably be dead and Mr Milosevic would still be in power.
Nato has done nothing to imply support for those provoking the fighting today. On the contrary, moderate political leaders won Kosovo's first supervised elections last year. And many former leaders of Kosovo's resistance are considered traitors by the extremists for supporting Nato's demands to demilitarise the Kosovo Liberation Army and pursue their goals through democratic means.
But the Balkans are a work in progress. The democratic governments now in place in Serbia and Macedonia, and the democratic institutions emerging in Kosovo, require concentrated support from the west.
Several steps are urgently required. First, it is critical to disabuse extremist Albanians of lingering hopes that Nato will come to their aid. The west should make clear that its economic and political support for the Albanian cause will evaporate if the wider population begins to take up the calls for war coming from extremists in Macedonia and Southern Serbia. Second, while the idea of a "Greater Albania" must be firmly rejected, national elections in Kosovo should be organised as soon as possible. Third, Nato forces must have rules of engagement to make it possible to cut off supplies to the extremists and confront them if necessary. Fourth, Nato should bolster the efforts of the Macedonian government to deal with this crisis through both military and political means. Last, Serbia's leaders should be made to understand that their continued moderation is a prerequisite to improve relations with Europe.
The early signs from Washington are discouraging. The administration appears to be adopting the views of the previous Bush administration: it has limited its involvement to low-level officials and seems to be waiting to see if European governments can head off this crisis.
This is a mistake. Only the US has the necessary influence over the region's Albanian population to avert a wider war. The fear of a backlash against US troops is exaggerated. The same argument was made in Bosnia but fears of retaliation never materialised. With the Albanians, the risk is even smaller. Unlike the Serbs, the Albanian population sees America as a friend. They know that without Washington's leadership, Albanians would not be free of Serb repression in Kosovo, and Mr Milosevic would still be in power. If Nato confronts Albanian extremists directly as part of a broader strategy of re-engagement by the US, there is little danger of a backlash by the population.
It is time for Washington to launch a high-level diplomatic initiative. A US envoy must be dispatched to develop a package of political, economic and military measures to strengthen moderate Albanians in Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia; to support the government in Macedonia's efforts to respond to extremist violence; and to convince the extremists that Washington will oppose them if they do not stand down.
With Belgrade's willingness to extend political rights to its minority Albanians, the existence of moderate Albanians in Macedonia's coalition government, and the stabilising presence of just under 40,000 Nato troops in the region, this crisis can be prevented. But without urgent action,there is a risk of squandering the progress made over the last two years.
- The writer is former US assistant secretary of state, and is a lecturer at the London School of Economics -
Macedonia to take step toward EU membership Posted April 8, 2001
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010408/3/m8u9.html
Sunday April 8, 7:55 PM
Macedonia to take step toward EU membership
By Gareth Jones
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Macedonia takes a step towards coveted membership of the European Union on Monday, the first former Yugoslav republic to reach this stage in a move the EU hopes can help avert a new war on its Balkan doorstep.
With the country still recovering from an armed revolt by ethnic Albanians, Macedonia will sign a "Stabilisation and Association Agreement" when President Boris Trajkovski and other officials join EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Luxembourg.
The accord commits Macedonia, where minority Albanians complain of discrimination by Slavs, to respect democratic principles, human rights, the rule of law and the free market.
It also removes most barriers to free trade between the 15-nation EU and the landlocked state of two million and confers on it the status of "potential candidate" for membership.
"This will be a major success for EU foreign policy if it can lead to a proper political dialogue on the causes which have led to some of the recent violence," said European Commission spokesman Gunnar Wiegand.
The signing comes amid revived tensions between the two main ethnic groups over the kind of state they want to build.
Albanians, who make up about a third of the population, accuse the government of dragging its feet over reforms.
The EU, which led efforts to end last month's clashes near Macedonia's frontier with Serbia's ethnic Albanian province of Kosovo, is pressing for political dialogue and fears failure to tackle Albanian grievances could trigger a fresh Balkan war.
In Luxembourg, the EU ministers will restate a commitment to Macedonia's territorial integrity -- some Albanian radicals propose redrawing borders to create a greater Albania.
If Macedonia were to hand over a letter formally stating its wish to join the Union, diplomats said there would have to be a lengthy review period before negotiations could even begin.
A dozen countries, mostly from ex-communist eastern Europe, are already engaged in full membership talks.
DEMAND MILOSEVIC TRIED AT HAGUE
On Monday, the EU ministers will also discuss other potential Balkan flashpoints, including Montenegro which will hold parliamentary elections later this month that could pave the way for a referendum on independence from Yugoslavia.
The EU wants tiny Montenegro to stay with Serbia inside the rump federation to avoid sparking further turmoil in the region.
At their meeting, the ministers are also expected to urge Serbia to hand its arrested former leader Slobodan Milosevic over to the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague but will not insist on linking that strictly to economic aid to Belgrade.
One diplomat said Germany was keen to link aid in some way to surrendering Milosevic but France was cool to that approach.
Other items on the summit agenda include the Middle East, relations with the new U.S. administration and EU enlargement.
Foreign policy chief Javier Solana will report on talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian officials.
The ministers will also consider environmental and other problems in the Baltic, including Russia's Kaliningrad enclave.
On Tuesday, they will discuss broader relations with Moscow under the auspices of the EU-Russia Cooperation Council. Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko will represent Moscow.
Sunday April 8 12:25 PM ET Macedonia To Sign Agreement With EU Posted April 8, 2001
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010408/wl/eu_foreign_ministers_2.html
Sunday April 8 12:25 PM ET Macedonia To Sign Agreement With EU
By JEFFREY ULBRICH, Associated Press Writer
LUXEMBOURG (AP) - Macedonia, recovering from ethnic violence that sent chills through the European Union (news - web sites), is to sign an agreement Monday at a meeting of EU foreign ministers that calls for new political and economic relations with the 15-nation bloc.
Javier Solana, the EU's chief of foreign and security affairs, asked Macedonia to send a delegation representing all of its political parties - including those representing the minority ethnic Albanians - to make the signing ceremony a moment of national consensus.
Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim head the delegation to the EU foreign ministers' meeting.
But a leading ethnic Albanian politician warned Sunday that more ethnic violence is inevitable unless Macedonia changes its constitution to allow more rights for minority Albanians.
``The constitution as it is now .... is completely opposed to the multiethnic reality of Macedonia,'' said Menduh Thaci, the vice president of the Democratic Party of Albanians, a key coalition partner in the Slav-dominated government.
Ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Macedonian troops clashed bitterly over the past month, but government forces have largely suppressed the rebellion. The rebels say they are fighting for greater rights for Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority.
Slavs outnumber Albanians by three-to-one in Macedonia. The government, comprising the Slav majority and some ethnic Albanian parties, considers the rebels ``terrorists'' linked to militants in the neighboring Serb province of Kosovo.
Most EU nations have contributed troops to NATO (news - web sites)-led peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. The prospect of a civil war unsettling the democratic government of Macedonia was cause for alarm.
``The EU wants to keep the momentum of political dialogue going,'' said Cristina Gallach, Solana's spokeswoman.
The agreement provides political and economic support toward that end. Among other provisions, it grants Macedonia ``asymmetric free trade'' with the EU, Gallach said, meaning there are no trade barriers to Macedonian goods entering the EU, but Macedonia can still impose duties on EU goods to Macedonia.
The EU foreign ministers also are expected to urge Belgrade to cooperate with the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague (news - web sites), Netherlands, by allowing former President Slobodan Milosevic (news - web sites) to be tried there.
The Yugoslav government plans to try Milosevic at home for corruption and abuse of power, but says it is in no hurry to extradite him to The Hague, where he has been indicted for crimes against humanity for his crackdown on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in 1999.
The ministers were expected to discuss linking aid to Yugoslavia with Belgrade's cooperation with tribunal, but there is no clear consensus among member countries.
Also high on the ministers' agenda will be relations with the United States and perhaps a first assessment of the Bush administration. Washington's decision to pull out of the climate agreement, known as the Kyoto Protocol (news - web sites), officials said.
A summit between EU representatives and the United States is scheduled for June 14 in Goteborg, Sweden.
Macedonia's Government on Shaky Ground As Talks Hit Snags By Ron Synovitz Posted April 7, 2001
http://www.europeaninternet.com/macedonia/news.php3?id=331367&brief=text
Macedonia's Government on Shaky Ground As Talks Hit Snags By Ron Synovitz
SKOPJE, Apr 6, 2001 -- (RFE/RL) Talks on a political solution to Macedonia's interethnic crisis have so far produced complaints of inflexibility on the part of the leaders of both ethnic Albanian and Macedonian parties. Just returned from Skopje, RFE/RL correspondent Ron Synovitz assesses the stalemate and its threat to the government's stability.
Political talks aimed at finding a peaceful solution to Macedonia's interethnic crisis got off to a difficult start this week, prompting concerns about the ability of the government to remain in power.
The ethnic Albanian party within the governing coalition, the Democratic Party of Albanians, or DPA, continues to insist that parts of Macedonia's Constitution be changed in order to provide equal rights to all citizens.
Many ethnic Albanians believe that discrimination against their community is embodied in the constitution. The Albanians say there is confusion between ethnic and civic nationalism in the document. They say the preamble declares Macedonian Slavs are the dominant national majority, while other ethnic communities are considered minority groups.
The preamble reads: "Macedonia is constituted as the national state of the Macedonian people [along with] the Albanians, the Turks, the Vlachs, the Roma and the other nationalities who live in the Republic of Macedonia."
The DPA and other ethnic Albanian parties want the preamble revised so that Macedonia has what they consider a citizens' constitution.
But the largest party in the governing coalition, the VMRO-DPMNE of President Boris Trajkovski and Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski, rejects all calls for constitutional changes.
VMRO-DPMNE party leader Igor Gievski says the talks will break down if the DPA continues to insist on such changes.
DPA leader Arben Xhaferi says he will give the negotiations one month to succeed. He says that if the dialogue fails within that time, the DPA will pull out of the governing coalition.
The DPA has 10 deputies in the 120-seat parliament and heads five ministries. Without the DPA's support, the Georgievski government would fall unless it was able to create a wider coalition with opposition groups.
The main opposition party, the Social Democratic Union, has Macedonian Slavs as its main support base. While the entry of its 27 deputies into a coalition would keep a Georgievski-led cabinet in power, it would not resolve the demands of ethnic Albanians.
The largest opposition party for ethnic Albanians, the Party for Democratic Prosperity, or PDP, has taken a more radical position than Xhaferi and the DPA. The 10 deputies in the PDP refused even to attend the talks that began 2 April.
Angered by the VMRO-DPMNE's refusal to discuss constitutional changes, the PDP said this week that the talks are merely an attempt by the government to convince the international community that a political dialogue is underway.
In addition to constitutional amendments, the PDP also is demanding the inclusion of ethnic Albanian insurgents in the negotiations. That is a position that has been rejected outright by the government as well as by the European Union and NATO.
NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson visited Skopje earlier this week, together with ambassadors from the 19 NATO member-states. He underlined that only democratically elected officials in Macedonia should take part in the negotiations.
"In a democracy, a political route forward is the only way forward. And, in this context an intensified and broad political dialogue among all democratic parties is critical and must be pursued urgently in order to achieve early concrete results through reforms and consolidating a true and multiethnic society."
EU foreign policy and security chief Javier Solana has stated repeatedly that the 15-nation bloc will not put pressure on Skopje for constitutional changes. But Solana has also said he thinks there is room for such changes and that the idea shouldn't be rejected from the start of the talks.
On 2 April Trajkovski presented a document to all of the parties attending the talks. He said the paper was aimed at forming the basis for more concrete negotiations in the future.
"This document and its guiding points are presented to the leaders of the other political parties, and within a week they [the parties] have to express their points of view. They should express their evaluation of this document and how they can contribute to the stated aims."
Trajkovski described the document as a first step toward a political solution to the country's ethnic crisis.
"If I were to summarize the document, it consists of ways to resolve the (ethnic and political) problems and to oust the Albanian extremists in the northern part of Macedonia and the region around Tetovo -- where all factions of international public opinion are in support of the efforts of the Republic of Macedonia."
Macedonian officials are due in Luxembourg next Monday (8 April) to sign a much-heralded Stability and Association Agreement with the EU. The accord is regarded as a critical first step in Skopje's bid for eventual EU membership.
EU officials also have invited ethnic Albanian political leaders to attend the signing. Xhaferi has been asked to present the official position of his DPA party about the interethnic crisis.
But Xhaferi has threatened to boycott the event unless more serious negotiations are launched on the complaints from ethnic Albanians by the end of this week.
In addition to constitutional changes, ethnic Albanians are demanding that the Albanian language become an official language in the country. They also want greater power over local government in Albanian-dominated communities, a state-funded Albanian-language university, and the elimination of Slav symbols from official state emblems.
Macedonia Detains Suspected Albanian Rebels Posted April 7, 2001
http://www.europeaninternet.com/macedonia/news.php3?id=331829&brief=text
Macedonia Detains Suspected Albanian Rebels
SKOPJE, Apr 6, 2001 -- (Reuters) Macedonian police rounded up several dozen young ethnic Albanians on Friday, seizing weapons and saying those arrested were suspected of involvement with guerrillas who fought security forces in the past month.
The main opposition party representing the former Yugoslav republic's big Albanian minority condemned the arrests and said it would break off contacts with the government.
Police spokesman Stevo Pendarovski said during the search of houses in the village of Poroj, close to the mainly ethnic Albanian city of Tetovo, officers found weapons and detained 35 people. Seventeen were later released.
Those arrested were suspected of membership of the National Liberation Army, which took on government forces last month near Tetovo on the border with Kosovo in what the NLA said was a bid to promote equal treatment with the Slav majority. Ethnic Albanians make up a third of Macedonia's population.
The government says the NLA are "terrorists" based in Kosovo, the mainly ethnic Albanian province of Serbia.
"From now on we are freezing all contacts with the Macedonian government," Zahir Bekteshi, a spokesman for the Party for Democratic Prosperity, told reporters in the capital, Skopje. The PDP is the main opposition party representing Albanians. Other Albanians take part in the ruling coalition. "The young Albanians who took part or supported the National Liberation Army should not be arrested but fully integrated into the system," the PDP's Bekteshi added.
The party's decision could hurt efforts to launch a dialogue on ethnic issues between Slav and Albanian leaders.
Arben Xhafer, leader of the biggest ethnic Albanian party, the DPA, which is member of the government coalition, said on Thursday that he favored an amnesty for the rebels.
The PDP boycotted the first round of talks hosted by President Boris Trajkovski this week.
The international community is keen to foster talks in Macedonia, fearing a new Balkan war if dialogue fails.
The International Crisis Group, a think-tank on Balkans affairs, said in a report on Thursday: "Whatever the rebels' long-term intentions may be, they clearly tapped into the frustrated local demands for basic minority rights: citizenship, ownership, education, language and representative government.
"This longstanding sense of grievance is dangerous."
The ICG outlined urgent measures, including decentralization of power and changes in the constitution which names Macedonian Slavs as the primary nation. "Otherwise, violence may spread along the lines of ethnic cleavage," it said.
AN OPTIMIST IN PANIC: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARBEN XHAFERI Posted April 7, 2001
WELCOME TO IWPR'S BALKAN CRISIS REPORT, NO. 236, April 6, 2001
AN OPTIMIST IN PANIC: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARBEN XHAFERI Arben Xhaferi, president of the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, a partner in Macedonia's ruling government coalition, explains to IWPR how immediate constitutional changes are imperative for a peaceful resolution to the current crisis
MACEDONIA ON EDGE International delegations might be prodding the Macedonian government to negotiate a way out of the current crisis but progress is scant. Anthony Borden reports from Skopje
************ VISIT IWPR ON-LINE:
AN OPTIMIST IN PANIC: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARBEN XHAFERI
Arben Xhaferi, president of the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, a partner in Macedonia's ruling government coalition, explains to IWPR how immediate constitutional changes are imperative for a peaceful resolution to the current crisis
IWPR: How do you explain the outbreak of violence in Macedonia?
Arben Xhaferi: I explain this as ethnic competition: to whom does the state belong? Macedonians want to create the state as their own ethnic property. Albanians
deny this, and thus we have conflict.
IWPR: After the elections in 1998, there seemed to be a new will to effect real change for Albanians. So, why are we seeing such conflict in Macedonia today?
AX: In 1998 we started to amend the constitution of Macedonia, which describes Macedonia as the state of Macedonians - where the official language is Macedonian, the official alphabet, Cyrillic, and the official religion, Orthodox. Albanians are very angry about this kind of possessiveness, but we haven't gone to the source of the crisis, the constitution itself.
IWPR: Isn't it more likely that changes could be achieved by politicians like yourself rather than NLA fighters?
AX: I'd been working to address the consequences but not the source of the conflict. I did not succeed in changing the constitution. There is no readiness to do this among the Macedonians. My vision was first to integrate Macedonia into the European Community and after that to introduce European standards. In this way I saw a real possibility to change the constitution.
IWPR: So, you were ready to wait?
AX: I was prepared to run a long race. But others wanted to sprint.
IWPR: Some Macedonian commentators have argued that the real initiators of the violence are criminals acting to protect their black-market trading interests. Would you agree?
AX: I don't believe this. Albanian idealists are behind this uprising and their leaders are not involved in criminal activities. Maybe, some soldiers have a criminal background, but they are not playing an important role in the decision-making process.
IWPR: And many of them are from Kosovo?
AX: During the Kosovo war there were more Albanians from Macedonia in the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) in Kosovo than there are Kosovars in Macedonia now. There may be a few Kosovars, but more than 90 per cent [of the members of the NLA] are Albanians from Macedonia.
IWPR: You have said that you have indirect contact with the leaders of the NLA.
AX: I must have contact with them to get them to put down their weapons and give dialogue a chance.
IWPR: Are you saying a decision was made not to fight back the Macedonian government offensive?
AX: Yes. They put down their arms because of pressure from politicians in Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia, and owing to pressure from NATO, the European Community and the United States. Javier Solana, by coming to Tetovo, also opened up hope of making changes in the state through negotiation.
IWPR: Did Solana make any promises to the Albanians?
AX: No. But he started to talk about the need for reforms in society, the need for dialogue to put down weapons. And everybody from the Albanian side agreed. Now the international community has handed over a clockwork orange. But we are not able take it apart. We do not have the skills for that. We need experts from the EC, NATO and the OSCE.
IWPR: You have said that you do not plan to go to Luxembourg for the April 9 signing of the stability agreement with the European Union unless there is clear indication of progress in the dialogue.
AX: We had a conflict, a war in Macedonia. We created unbelievable pressure on the fighters in the hills to put down the weapons. But this came with the condition that negotiations would start. Now there are no such indications. The president has called us in for coffee-table discussions. But he doesn't have any mandate to solve the questions. And discussion in the parliament will create more tensions than solutions.
IWPR: What kind of dialogue would you like to see?
AX: In 1991 the Macedonian majority wrote the constitution against the will of the Albanian minority. Since then, we have had permanent discussion and permanent conflict over the concept of the state.
But the concept of the state - the constitution of the state - is incompatible with multi-ethnic reality. So the question now is whether we change reality through ethnic cleansing or by changing the concept of the state?
IWPR: You have made seemingly conflicting statements over recent weeks, at times making you seem very close to the government and sometimes implying that you might even leave it. At times you have been very critical of the NLA and sometimes you suggest they have a "right" to continue should negotiations break down. Has your position wavered?
AX: No. This is a false interpretation. I never accepted fighting as an instrument to achieve political goals. I am for the political option. I am not a militarist.
But one thing that is very important to point out: the demands of the fighters are the same as ours.
IWPR: You have said that if there isn't movement on the key issues, you expect many young men will join the NLA?
AX: Yes. Many have friends on the hills. Others have cousins. And if the Macedonian authorities are cruel and rigid during their offensives, it might well cause other Albanians to join the NLA.
IWPR: Do you think the NLA should be directly represented in any talks?
AX: For me it would be easier. But I do not want to formally request this, as this would provoke a negative reaction in the international community. I will be very tough in negotiations.
IWPR: Macedonians demand that Albanians confirm the integrity and unity of the state. If you do not have the fighters in the talks, how can you provide such a statement?
AX: The Macedonians need the Albanians to make the same statement three times before breakfast and three times after. We are for the integrity of the state. I am tired of giving the same declaration.
IWPR: What are the essential changes negotiations need to deliver to ensure that fighting will not re-start?
AX: The first must be the constitution as the initiator of the crisis. The second is the proportion of Albanian representation in state institutions. The third is the census.
IWPR: You now seem to be suggesting that these things need to be tackled within perhaps as short a period as one month. Is this right?
AX: We must be constructive. Albanian political parties are ready to fight against the radical demands of other Albanians for destruction, for federalisation and cantonisation. We are ready to continue without weapons and to keep the integrity and the unity of the state. On the other hand, Macedonian extremism is enshrined in the constitution. They institutionalised their extremism. Every state and society has their radical elements but democratic forces must work openly against that.
IWPR: The preamble of the constitution refers to Macedonia as a state of "Macedonians and others". Would you consider the formula, rather than adding Albanians, to take out all mention of nationalities, so that Macedonia would be a civic state. You would get rid of the Macedonian claim to national primacy, but you would also set aside the demand from some Albanians that both major communities should be declared equal constituent nations.
AX: I am afraid that the multi-ethnic states cannot be pure civic states. In the end you must pose the question: who is civic? In which language is he talking? If the Macedonians want to create a civic society, but the civilian is Macedonian, speaking Macedonian language, we must again ask the question, who is he?
IWPR: But will you nevertheless be willing to consider a concession on this point, because as you know the argument for adding Albanians into the preamble makes Macedonians nervous? If there is to be a change, they would prefer it to be towards a document which is fully civic.
AX: Yes. If it is possible to resolve the question of language through other legislation then we will accept the definition of Macedonia as a civic society.
IWPR: In such a dynamic situation, is there potential for a realignment of Albanian politics? Could this change or even threaten the position of the democratic parties, even including yourself, as the NLA make radical demands?
AX: We will end up creating two groups stubbornly defending their positions along ethnic lines. Everybody will polarize around their own ethnic group. But we want to create a bridge. We want to keep the middle ground but our position is very fragile.
IWPR: How serious is the risk of war now?
AX: Very serious. I am very concerned about the future ethnic polarisation. War in Macedonia can be a regional war because the country is in the centre of the Balkans. We can't have a local war as in Bosnia or Kosovo. It would be a multilateral war because of the interests of the Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs and Albanians.
IWPR: Do you think that the EU and NATO representatives accept your view that changing the constitution is critical?
AX: They understand but they do not want to be involved in an internal affair in Macedonia. They want to test Macedonian maturity to solve domestic problems. They want to use this crisis as a test for us all, to see if we're ready to join the European Community.
IWPR: Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
AX: I am an optimist in a panic. I am waiting in panic to see what will be next. I hope that the Macedonians will be more reasonable and will understand that it is in the interests of the state to open dialogue.
IWPR: You just came from meeting President Boris Trajkovski. What is his view?
AX: He does not want to take responsibility for these deep changes. No one is ready to take this responsibility, to steer the Macedonian ship into calm waters.
IWPR: Not even one Macedonian politician?
AX: No.
IWPR: Some Macedonian opinion-formers seem to accept the idea of a change in the preamble to the constitution.
AX: They are not active enough. Who is active? The nationalists in the Academy of Sciences, who say not to touch the constitution. This is the reason I am talking about opportunism.
IWPR: What do you think of the recent arrest by the government of Albanians in Tetovo suspected as dangerous elements?
AX: The logic of militarisation, the logic of punishing problems, will lead to more complications. We suggest to democratise the crisis, to demilitarise society and to give amnesty to everyone who was involved in this crisis. Only the soft approach, only the political approach, only the liberalisation of the crisis and the society, can bring lasting peace in Macedonia.
Interview conducted by IWPR Trustee and Guardian foreign affairs columnist Martin Woollacott, Executive Director Anthony Borden and IWPR contributor Veton Latifi.
Cook urges Macedonia to agree peace talks Posted April 6, 2001
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/europe/story.jsp?story=65178
Cook urges Macedonia to agree peace talks
By Steve Crawshaw in Tetovo
06 April 2001
The main Albanian leader in Macedonia's ruling coalition warned yesterday of renewed violence if the government refused to negotiate in earnest and called for an amnesty for armed Albanian rebels.
Speaking after a meeting in Tetovo with Robin Cook, Britain's Foreign Secretary, Arben Xhaferi said: "If we do not open dialogue the violence will return very easily. Because of the rigidity of the Macedonian side, we can again have a crisis here."
Recent fighting between rebels and Macedonian forces in the hills surrounding Tetovo has raised fears of a fifth Balkan war.
Mr Cook was cheered by a small crowd that gathered to welcome him in the central square of this mostly Albanian town. But the welcome may have been based partly on a misunderstanding. Mr Cook is perceived by many Albanians as a hero because of Britain's hawkish role in Kosovo in 1999. On Macedonia, however, Mr Cook while emphasising the need for dialogue between the two sides has seemed more eager to placate the Macedonian side.
After talks with President Boris Trajkovski and the Prime Minister, Ljubco Georgievski, he lavished praise on the Macedonian authorities.
Referring to the National Liberation Army, which is closely linked to the Kosovo Liberation Army, he said: "I admire the democratic and multi-ethnic values of Macedonia. We want to help Macedonia defeat the terrorists."
Mr Xhaferi, though a declared opponent of the NLA, firmly rejected Mr Cook's use of the word "terrorist". He said: "They cannot be terrorists, because they have uniforms and a front line they haven't attacked civilians. We have an uprising."
Mr Cook is the latest high-profile minister to visit Macedonia (the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, will be in Skopje next week) to encourage the Albanian parties to discuss ways of reducing the tension. But even Mr Xhaferi, whose party has agreed to take part in the peace talks, sounded contemptuous. "They want coffee-table discussions," he said.
Mr Cook promised British aid, in the form of global positioning systems equipment, remote devices for detecting and destroying bombs and booby traps, and body armour.
A Macedonian delegation goes to Luxembourg on Monday to sign a stabilisation and association agreement with the European Union, giving the country more-favoured status in its relations with the EU.
For the moment, however, Macedonia is anything but stable. Albanian anger is strong in the words of one unemployed factory worker waiting in the square for a glimpse of Mr Cook: "Things have to change. It's the same syndrome here as it was in Kosovo. In the old Yugoslavia, things were much better for us."
* A UN war crimes tribunal envoy arrived in Belgrade yesterday with an arrest warrant for Slobodan Milosevic, stepping up pressure on the authorities to hand over the former Yugoslav president for trial.
Hans Holthuis, court registrar, tried to present a warrant for Mr Milosevic's arrest to the Serbian Justice Minister, Vladan Batic. But Mr Batic said he could not accept it and sent him for a meeting today with the federal Justice Minister, Momcilo Grubac.
NATO TO HELP CONTROL MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN BORDER Posted April 6, 2001
NATO TO HELP CONTROL MACEDONIAN-ALBANIAN BORDER
RFE/RL 04/06/2001
An unnamed "NATO official" told AP in Brussels on 5 April that the alliance has agreed to a request from Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta to "reinforce controls along the Albanian-Macedonian border." NATO and Albanian officials are working out the details. On 6 April, dpa reported from Skopje that the Macedonian army has deployed heavy weapons at Debar on the border with Albania. Defense Ministry officials said that up to 30 fighters have recently crossed into Macedonia from Albania. That same day, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer arrived in Tirana to discuss bilateral and regional relations with Meta and President Rexhep Meidani. Fischer was to head to Kosova later that day. PM
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY APPEALS FOR DIALOGUE IN MACEDONIA Posted April 6, 2001
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY APPEALS FOR DIALOGUE IN MACEDONIA
RFE/RL 04/06/2001
Romania's Mircea Geoana, who currently holds the OSCE chair, said on 5 April that "all legitimate interests should be presented [at the roundtable talks]. We also feel the need of having some quick success, some quick wins that will give confidence," Reuters reported from Skopje. British Foreign Minister Robin Cook said in Tetovo after meeting with Xhaferi that "we need to work while there is an interval, when Macedonia is clear of violence. We must create the political conditions in Macedonia where all citizens know they have equal rights and feel they have equal opportunities." Earlier, after meeting with Macedonian leaders, Cook said in Skopje: "We want to help Macedonia defeat the terrorists. We support multiethnic Macedonia in which the citizens are equal with equal opportunities. There is no place for violence in a democratic society," AP reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 5 April 2001). PM
MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT: NO TALKS WITH REBELS Posted April 6, 2001
MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT: NO TALKS WITH REBELS
RFE/RL 04/06/2001
President Boris Trajkovski said on 5 April that he rules out any negotiations with fighters from the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (UCK), Reuters reported from Skopje. He told a meeting of regional defense ministers that "we have intensified political dialogue but we will not respond to those who suggest a concept of a federal state." He also repeated the position of his government that the UCK comes from Kosova and that its emergence is not the result of legitimate grievances of Macedonia's own Albanians. "The agenda of the terrorists is not the internal situation in Macedonia. Their agenda is the situation in Kosovo. Our efforts will be fruitless if the international community does not take care of the roots of the crisis in Kosovo." The Serbian authorities also blame the foreigners for security problems in the area. PM
MACEDONIAN ALBANIANS SAY SLAVS 'NOT SERIOUS' ABOUT DIALOGUE Posted April 6, 2001
MACEDONIAN ALBANIANS SAY SLAVS 'NOT SERIOUS' ABOUT DIALOGUE.
RFE/RL 04/06/2001
Arben Xhaferi, head of the Democratic Party of the Albanians (PDSH)that is part of the governing coalition, said on 5 April that politicians from the ethnic Macedonian majority are not interested in addressing the Albanian minority's complaints about discrimination (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 4 April 2001, and "End Note" below). "They are not ready to have a real dialogue. They want to have some kind of a coffee-table discussion without any obligations," Reuters reported from Skopje. "If we do not open a dialogue, the violence will return very easily. The [guerrillas] did not disappear, they are [still] around us." Xhaferi also cautioned against referring to them as "terrorists" (see "RFE/RL Balkan Report," 27 March 2001). He stressed that "we could have another crisis because of the rigidity of the Macedonian side," London's "Daily Telegraph" reported. The Party of Democratic Prosperity (PPD), which is the largest ethnic Albanian opposition party, boycotted the talks as a waste of time. PPD Secretary-General Muhamed Halili said that "the government of Macedonia is not able to take the responsibility for resolving the crisis," the "Financial Times" reported. PM
COOK MEETS XHAFERI AND IMERI; DPA LEADER REQUESTS 'CORRECTION' OF MACEDONIAN MISTAKES TOWARD ALBANIANS Posted April 5, 2001
COOK MEETS XHAFERI AND IMERI; DPA LEADER REQUESTS 'CORRECTION' OF MACEDONIAN MISTAKES TOWARD ALBANIANS
http://www.kosovalive.com
Tetova, April 5 (KosovaLive)
Arben Xhaferi, president of the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA) in Macedonia, met with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook Thursday in Tetova. He asked the Foreign Secretary to increase his country's pressure on Macedonian authorities to begin the dialogue and negotiations regarding the issues raised by Albanians in Macedonia.
These issues include the Constitution, proportional inclusion of Albanians in government institutions and the release of political prisoners held since 1981.
"We guarantee that we will fight with all our might to secure the integrity and unity of Macedonia but we ask for the correction of a few internal matters in our society," Xhaferi said after meeting with the senior British official in Tetova. He added that his party would take part in the signing of the declaration in Luxembourg.
"The European Union will assist in the dialogue in Macedonia. We must focus on building a democratic, multiethnic society," Cook said after the meeting with the DPA leader.
The British Foreign Minister also met with the leader of the Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP), Imer Imeri, immediately after meetings with high Macedonian officials in Skopje.
"We accept Robin Cook's stand that everything must be resolved peacefully," Imeri said after the meeting with Cook at PDP headquarters, adding that he hoped the dialogue in Macedonia would begin soon.
The president of the Committee for Foreign Policy of the Albanian Parliament, Sabri Godo, met with the DPA leadership at the DPA headquarters, where the recent situation in Macedonia was discussed.
"The Albanian parties in Macedonia will come out with a joint platform soon," Godo said after the meeting. (s.ibrahimi)