[AMCC-News] LOCAL CRISES IN MACEDONIA NOT "IMPORTED" FROM KOSOVA, KOSOVAR PARTIES SAID

[Mentor Cana]

KosovaLive 19 March 2001
http://kosovalive.com/english/latest.htm

LOCAL CRISES IN MACEDONIA NOT "IMPORTED"  FROM KOSOVA, KOSOVAR PARTIES
SAID

Prishtina, March 19 (KosovaLive)

    The accusations of Macedonian authorities concerning the incrimination
of the Kosovar Albanians in the conflict within Macedonia are
unacceptable, say the political parties of Kosova.

    Representatives of Kosova's main political parties consider that
high Macedonian officials are attempting to "import" the problems in
order to ignore the serious local character of the problem.

    "The situation is a result of unsolved Albanian problems in
Macedonia over a period of 10 years. Accusations which have the same aim
as before - that political elements in Kosova are involved in
incriminating incidents in Macedonia - are unacceptable," Naim Jerliu,
vice-president of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK), told KosovaLive
Monday.

    Jerliu stated that there was absolutely no involvement of Kosovars
in the troubles in Macedonian. Instead of accusations, the Macedonian
government should be prepared to open up ways for Albanian demands in
Macedonia to be met, in order to prevent the situation from escalating
and to prevent the risks that are a cause of concern, he argued.

    Ramadan Avdiu, a member of the Democratic Party of Kosova (PDK),
said, "the accusations of Macedonia's Prime Minister are unfounded and
absolutely baseless."

    According to Avdiu, Macedonian authorities want to remove the blame
from themselves while accusing the political parties in Kosova. "The
Kosovar political parties have clearly requested that the problem in
Macedonia be solved in a political manner, including respecting all
rights of the Albanians that live here," Avdiu said.

    A member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosova (AAK), Bujar
Dugolli, said that the government of Macedonia, because it is incapable
of solving its own problems, falsely accuses the political leadership in
Kosova. "We support the right of Albanians in Macedonia to be a
state-forming people and to have the same rights as the Macedonians," he
said.

    According to Dugolli, if the Macedonian government refuses to
negotiate with Albanian political and military factions in Macedonia,
the solution will be even more difficult. "Our efforts are aimed at
getting both sides in the conflict to begin negotiations which will end
the armed conflict," Dugolli said. (b.bala)