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MILS NEWS 23/01/96

From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>

Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory

CONTENTS

  • [01] TRAJCHE KRSTEVSKI - NEW CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE MACEDONIAN ARMY

  • [02] CONFERENCE ON MACEDONIAN-GREEK ECONOMY RELATIONS

  • [03] CONGRATULATIONS TO SIMITIS AND PANGALOS

  • [04] CONGRATULATIONS TO ARAFAT FROM GLIGOROV

  • [05] DISCUSSIONS ON NORMALIZING THE RELATIONS WITH FRY CONTINUE

  • [06] OPENING OF THE CONSULATES IN KOSOVO DISPUTABLE

  • [07] DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN MACEDONIAN AND CROATIAN BUSINESSMEN

  • [08] DECLARATION ON PRESERVING THE NAME OF MACEDONIA

  • [09] FORMING A PARALLEL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION IN THE COUNTRY

    MILS SUPPLEMENT:

  • [10] BULGARIAN TURKS WILL ASK FOR AUTONOMY TILL 2 000 LATEST


  • MILS NEWS

    Skopje, 23 January 1996

    [01] TRAJCHE KRSTEVSKI - NEW CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE MACEDONIAN ARMY

    With a decree of the President of Republic of Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov, general-colonel Trajche Krstevski was yesterday appointed a new Chief of Staff of the Macedonian Army. Krstevski's previous position was a Deputy Chief of Staff. General-lieutenant colonel Janakie Manasievski, whose previous position was Assistant Chief of Staff, is appointed a Deputy Chief of Staff. Macedonian Ministry of Defense announced yesterday that General Dragoljub Bocinov retired from his Chief of Staff duties yesterday. General- colonel Trajche Krstevski was born in 1938 in Titov Veles and graduated on Military Academy in Belgrade. He participated in the UN pece-keeping mission in Egypt in the period of 1966-1971, and in the formation of the first military units in Macedonia from 1991.

    [02] CONFERENCE ON MACEDONIAN-GREEK ECONOMY RELATIONS

    A Conference on Macedonian-Greek economy relations will start today in Athens, organized by the Greek Institute for International Economy Relations. Macedonian experts will also participate in the Conference, the subject of which will be the current situation and perspectives of the economy, the political situation, the foreign investments and the bilateral trade relations.

    According to the information of 'Makpress', unofficial data in Athens show that Macedonia was the tenth trade partner to Greece in 1993. Before closing of the border, Greek export to Macedonia was 127.5 million ECU. Jordanis Atanidis, the General Manager of the Association of the Exporters from Northern Greece, stated that three to six months will be necessary to achieve that level of export.

    [03] CONGRATULATIONS TO SIMITIS AND PANGALOS

    President of Macedonian Government, Branko Crvenkovski, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Stevo Crvenkovski, sent telegrams with congratulations yesterday to their new Greek counterparts, Prime Minister Constantine Simitis and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos. In his telegram, Premiere Crvenkovski expressed his satisfaction with the development of the friendly relations between the two countries and with the beginnings of a fruitful cooperation in many areas of a mutual interest.

    [04] CONGRATULATIONS TO ARAFAT FROM GLIGOROV

    Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov sent his congratulations to Jaser Arafat for his winning the position of the first President of Palestine on the elections. Gligorov justified the struggle of the people of Palestine in the last five decades and expressed readiness of Macedonia to establish and develop good cooperative relations with the national Government of this country.

    [05] DISCUSSIONS ON NORMALIZING THE RELATIONS WITH FRY CONTINUE

    A delegation of Macedonian Foreign Ministry, led by the Assistant Minister Ognen Maleski, left for Belgrade yesterday to continue the discussions with the representatives of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry. Macedonian Ministry officially announced that the discussions are a continuation of the preliminary consultations for the normalization of mutual relations, and for maintaining the cooperation in the areas of a mutual interest.

    Macedonian Television reported that Yugoslav side is being represented by the Ambassador of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry, Dragan Vuchichevic, who participated on the meeting in Skopje last Friday. Unofficially, Macedonian Television informed that the aim of the discussions is to achieve an agreement on the mutual relations, which could result in the opening of diplomatic offices in the two countries.

    [06] OPENING OF THE CONSULATES IN KOSOVO DISPUTABLE

    FR Yugoslav Minister for Minorities, Margit Savovic, stated yesterday that in case USA want to open an information center in Kosovo, they will have to consult competent Ministries of FRY. According to 'Makpress', Savovic stated that all international factors are aware that Kosovo and Metohija are an integral part of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia, and it will not be allowed this issue to be internationalized.

    Meanwhile, Albanian media inform that Turkey is also considering the possibility for opening a consulate in Pristine. Namely, official Ankara considers such a consulate would be of great importance for Kosovo, as local citizens would not have to travel to Belgrade to satisfy certain consular and administrative needs.

    [07] DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN MACEDONIAN AND CROATIAN BUSINESSMEN

    The trade between Macedonia and Croatia has decreased eight times compared to 1990, when it was 640 million $US. This was stated yestrerday on the meeting of the businessmen of the two countries. They emphasized the necessity to liberalize the trade, to regulate the debt and credit relations and property relations, as well. It was also said that, besides the soon expected opening of the roads, it is necessary to immediately put into effect the already signed Agreements and Contracts. The expected visit of President Gligorov to Zagreb should also positively contribute to future trade relations.

    [08] DECLARATION ON PRESERVING THE NAME OF MACEDONIA

    IMRO-DPMNU (VMRO-DPMNE) yesterday sent a Declaration for preserving the historical and constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia to all relevant international organizations and institutions, including the UN Security Council. It is stressed that no one has the right to negotiate or accept changing of the constitutional name of Macedonia, and that any different attitude would hurt the feelings of the national majority in the country and would mean its negation. The requirement for changing the name of Macedonia is a anti-civilized and anti-historical act without precedent in the international relations, is stated in the Declaration.

    The party reminded it considers the last parliamentary and presidential elections irregular. Therefore, the Interim Accord with Greece, as well as the terms 'the first and the second party', is characterized by IMRO-DPMNU as a non-valid document, both politically and legally. The Declaration concludes that this party will continue its efforts for maintaining the good neighbourly relations and for solving all the disputes peacefully and on the basis of mutual understanding and respect.

    [09] FORMING A PARALLEL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION IN THE COUNTRY

    Administrative Board of the Football Association of Macedonia (FAM) officially announced yesterday that it distances from all non-institutional agreements, negotiations, blackmailing and groupings between the clubs.

    The announcement further says that the motives and aims of the inter-clubs calculations initiated by the recent annual assembly of the Football Club 'Vardar', without any connection with FAM, are in fact forming a parallel football association in the country. This is against the statute of FAM and unacceptable for FIFA and UEFA regulations. FAM states that the individuals, who in the name of their clubs act illegally (with ultimatums and blackmails) are most responsible for their deeds. FAM is the only place where all the problems of Macedonian football should be solved, concludes the announcement.

    MILS SUPPLEMENT:

    [10] BULGARIAN TURKS WILL ASK FOR AUTONOMY TILL 2 000 LATEST

    Interview with Boncho Asenov, previous officer of the Bulgarian State Security (part 2)

    ('Kontinent' - Sofia, 21 January 1996)

    Q: When do you think the 'Rebirth Process' should have started?

    Immediately after 9 September 1944. Or at least after 1975- 1976, after what happened on Cyprus, when everybody realized what is Turkey like. Now it is very difficult. Bulgarians now struggle for bread and pay not attention to the threat.

    We have forgotten the forecasts that there will be more Bulgarian Turks than Bulgarians in 2030. Do not misunderstand me, I have nothing against them, they are also human. But I think they are unhappy, all the time drifted from one side to another. That is why I think the 'Rebirth Process' was good for them. Not only that they did not rebel, but many of them openly approved the Process.

    Q: How many of them did approve it?

    I do not know exactly, but it is well known that about 20 000 people did it publicly. There were intellectuals and Moslem priests amongst them, including Ibrahim Tatarl. We used to be colleagues and I know his attitudes about the ethnic issues did not differ from mine. After 10 November, we became nationalists, but he is a Turkish nationalist, and I protect Bulgarian national identity.

    Q: Are there others like him?

    Yes, but it is dangerous for you to write about that. And that is not most important. Also, it is not most important that Dogan used to be an undercover agent, but what are his ideas now. Turkish Secret Service has now better conditions to operate here than any time before - it has its lobby in the Bulgarian Government. Anyone can go to the Embassy, have a talk, take a honorary, etc.

    Q: Do you find Turkey dangerous for Bulgaria?

    With its Pan- Turkish - Pan-Islamizm, even fundamentalist position, it is dangerous for the existence of the Bulgarian nation. The fundamentalists will not rule soon, as the West will not allow that, but their power will be increasing. The fundamentalist Erbakan is now asking the Dayton Peace Accord to be revised and Bosnia to be constituted as a Moslem country, so he is expressing his concern for the fellow men in the Balkans.

    Turkey jeopardizes Bulgarian people through Bulgarian Turks.

    I do not believe that the elections in Krjali will be annulled, nor that DPS will be forbidden. There are no brave people in this country who would bear the pressure - either from inside or from outside.

    Q: Would eventual request for autonomy initiate a new wave of the 'Rebirth Process'?

    The new wave started immediately after the decision of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, brought on 29 December 1989. OKZNI, OPT, political circle 'Dawn', 'Will for Bulgaria', d-r Ivan Georgiev with all his extremes and extravagances (I do not include Gelemanov here). It was a weak wave, but new politicians joined it, such as Zorz Ganchev, and protectors of the national interests in BSP and SDS. The instinct for preserving the nation will increase.

    We should admire the external national policy of Turkey. Turkish propaganda is a manifestation of a high intellect. 160 Bulgarian children already study in Turkey, they will return in Bulgaria and are the future Turkish lobby in Bulgaria. Unfortunately, Bulgarian politicians are engaged in pro-Turkish and pro-American politics.

    Q: What is unknown about the participation of DS in the 'Rebirth Process'?

    For example, the order from the Internal Affairs Minister Dimitar Stojanov in 1985 to double the secret agents among Bulgarian Turks. That was more a political than a professional task - the aim was to include more people in the 'Rebirth Process'. DS was an institution of the State and served to the party and the country. There were some problems, and there was violence, but not so much as it was afterwards presented. That can be allowed in the name of the higher national interests. That is a measure against the assimilation policy of the neighbouring country, against the genocide in 'white gloves'.

    Q: What is the aim of your book? Don't you think it might increase the ethnic conflicts?

    I want to make people think. They should decide who is right and what is most necessary to be done. And what is the aim of this interview of yours?

    Q: Are you not afraid of the extremists?

    No. They have not threatened me so far. However, if a violence against me or others like me initiate the prohibition of DPS, that would be good for Bulgaria.

    (end)

    mils news 23 January 1996

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