MAK-NEWS 25/01/96 (M.I.C.)

From: "M.I.C." <mic@ITL.MK>

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

CONTENTS

SKOPJE, JANUARY 25, 1996 (MIC)

[01] SKOPJE AND BELGRADE TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER SOON

The to-date dialogue between Skopje and Belgrade is given a special quality by the comprehensiveness of the topics and questions discussed by the representatives of the two ministries at the preliminary talks. Practically, the dialogue encompassed everything of interest for the present and future relations and the cooperation between the two sovereign neighboring states. From the recognition and permanency of the existing border, the mutual communication, to the question of continuity of the former federation, which is still not straightened out.

"Nova Makedonija" has learned that both sides are seeking modalities for a mutually acceptable solution, however, without having to have Macedonia give up its legal continuity of the SFRY, on which official Belgrade insisted until a while ago. All of this contributes to the eventual acceptance of the future agreement between RM and FRY as the first complete and comprehensive documents that the FRY signs with one of the former Yugoslav countries.

"Nova Makedonija" comments that soon, Macedonia will be the only one out of the former YU republics to have an embassy from official Belgrade.

[02] MILOSEVICH COMING TO SKOPJE

The Macedonian public was informed about the talks by a couple of independent newspapers that reported spokesman Gjuner Ismail's statement from the news conference in Skopje on Tuesday, that "the modalities of cooperation between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia, as well as the mutual recognition are the topics discussed in Belgrade."

An official announcement on the course of the negotiations has still not been issued.

The independent Belgrade newspaper "Nasa Borba" writes that Skopje expects normal relations to be restored in the next couple of days, adding that the regions inhabited predominantly by Serbs and Montenegrins expect the Serb President Slobodan Milosevich to make a return visit soon.

[03] FRY TAXES FOR MACEDONIAN GOODS CHANGED

On the other hand, Macedonia is not making any changes to its customs policy towards FRY, however, eventual changes are possible after the establishment of full relations between the two countries and the signing of an agreement on economic cooperation, the Director of the Macedonian Customs Administration, Ilija Iljovski says.

Iljovski informed that Macedonia has introduced a customs regime towards Bosnia and Herzegovina as a result of the frequent occurrence of reporting Bosnian goods as being produced in FRY, thereby entering Macedonia without being cleared through customs. Iljovski says that the situation will remain as such until the two foreign ministries agree which certificate to accept as valid.

[04] PRESIDENT GLIGOROV RECEIVES TORVALD STOLTENBERG

Torvald Stoltenberg informed President Gligorov on the cease of existence of this Conference, expressing the conviction that the signing of the peace agreements on Bosnia-Herzegovina opens a new ear of peace and cooperation in the Balkans.

President Gligorov informed Stoltenberg on the current situation in Macedonia, its relations with the neighbors and the start of the process of negotiations on cooperation and association with the EU. In this context, he underlined Macedonia's lasting orientation for Europeanization of the Balkans as the best alternative for the peace, cooperation and economic progress.

[05] GREEK STANCES REMAIN UNCHANGED

On Tuesday, the new Greek Foreign Minister stated that there would be no changes in the foreign policy. Upon taking over his new duty from Karolos Papoulias, Pangalos stated that Greece's foreign policy, paved by the leader of PASOK, Andreas Papandreou, will continue.

[06] GREEK BUSINESSMEN INTERESTED IN MACEDONIAN ENTERPRISES

The Conference once again affirmed the wide interest in expanding the cooperation between the two countries, the high level of information in Greece about the economic reforms in Macedonia, the political situation, the course of the process of privatization, the prospects and conditions for foreign investments and the tax system.

In assessing the results of the meeting, Verica Hadzivasileva-Markovska, director of the Agency for transformation of public companies said that the Greek businessmen were disappointed to hear that a number of enterprises, namely, the most successful ones, have already been privatized, however, according to Markovska, that does not mean that they can not take part in what has been left, or to establish direct contacts with them. "Obviously, although Macedonia is a small country, it represents an important country for their economic activities, due to its position," Mihail Petkovski said.

[07] AGREEMENT WITH GREECE-CONSTITUTIONAL

This is connected with the VMRO-DPMNE initiative, according to which the Interim Accord was signed between a representative of Greece and the private person Stevo Crvenkovski, on behalf of Macedonia, and that it was actually an interim agreement, and not an interim accord. According to VMRO- DPMNE, this comes as a result of the fact that the agreement was not signed on behalf of the state Republic of Macedonia, by the President of the Republic of Macedonia or the Macedonian Government, as prescribed in the Constitution, since it was not signed in the name of the sovereign Republic of Macedonia or its authorized representatives. Therefore, the initiator requested that the first article of this law be annulled, since, according to them, it is not in accordance with the Constitution.

[08] FORUM ON STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT OF MACEDONIA

The Forum is organized at the initiative and proposal of the World Bank from Washington, and is the first of this kind, where this UN specialized agency gets involved in such activities in a country in transition. In view of this, it has been announced that a number of guests from the World Bank and experts from countries that have been successful in implementing development strategies in the past, will be taking part in the Forum, so as to present their past experiences, and mistakes.

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