MAK-NEWS 01/12/95 (M.I.C.)

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

Macedonian Information Centre Directory

SKOPJE, DECEMBER 1, 1995 (MIC)

CONTENTS

[01] MACEDONIA ASKING FOR ITS PART OF SFRY PROPERTY

The Minister of Finance Jane Miljovski, coordinator of the Macedonian delegation for succession, stated yesterday that Macedonia will lay claim to its succession rights on the property of the former SFRY and make efforts to block this property, following the lifting of the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia.

"It will not be easy to block these funds," Miljovski told the Macedonian Television yesterday, quite suspicious that the SFRY inheritance may have been given to FR Yugoslavia as an award for reaching the peace agreement in Dayton.

Miljovski gave this statement as a reaction to the fact that Croatia has recognized the continuity of FR Yugoslavia and its status as legal successor of SFRY. "If that is true, then the other federal units of the former SFRY that lay claim to this property and wish to use it, are placed in a very unfavorable situation," he explained.

The Macedonian diplomatic corps in 35 countries, where the property of SFRY is located, are starting court proceedings to keep the People's Bank of Yugoslavia from continuing to spend and transfer the property of the SFRY.

In this sense, minister Miljovski addressed the finance ministers of these 35 countries, the financial authorities and institutions, to show understanding for this situation and to help Macedonia.

"That is impossible in Great Britain and the United States, due to which civil suits have already been instituted over there, with a request from Macedonia to block these funds," he said.

Furthermore, minister Miljovski announced that Macedonia will be pressing charges in all civil courts in all EU countries, with the explanation that Macedonia has a right to part of the property of the former SFRY and that it wants to use it.

"This will be very difficult, because we can't get any precise information from FR Yugoslavia as to the size of the property of the former Yugoslavia. According to some data, it is estimated at US$ 6.1 billion, and according to other, at US$ 3.5 billion."

"From the break up of SFRY and until the implementation of the sanctions, the People's Bank of FR Yugoslavia had free access to the money of SFRY in the world."

Miljovski accused FR Yugoslavia of spending a large part of the funds during the embargo, and transferring another part to the vaults of the People's Bank in Belgrade.

[02] FREEZING THE PROPERTY TILL THE CHARTER

The representatives of the four countries-successors to the former SFRY - Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, have managed to coordinate their views at the talks in Ljubljana, in regard to succession to the property of the former state, i.e. they agreed on common action to freeze the deposits and properties of the former SFRY, Makpress reports.

The Republic of Macedonia was represented by the Macedonian ambassador to Ljubljana Dimitar Mirchev and the member of the Macedonian delegation in charge of succession Sasko Georgievski.

[03] UNPREDEP IN MACEDONIA UNTIL MAY 30

The UN Security Council yesterday voted in favour of continuing the mission of the peacekeeping forces in Macedonia, for the next six months, until May 30th, next year.

In his report, UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali proposed to continue the UNPREDEP mandate another year, however, as the Macedonian ambassador to the UN Denko Malevski told the Macedonian Television, only Russia was against this proposal. Therefore, a compromise proposal was found, to continue the mandate only six months.

The Security Council also made a decision yesterday to continue the UNPROFOR mandate in Bosnia until January 31st, next year, when the UN forces should withdraw entirely, to be replaced by NATO forces, which will have to implement the recently-signed peace agreement in Dayton. Furthermore, the mandate of UNCRO in Croatia has been continued until January 15th, next year, as a temporary measure until it is decided what to do with the UN forces there.

[04] BOUTROS GHALI: MACEDONIA IS CONTINUING THE REFORMS

The regular report of the UN Secretary-General Boutros Ghali to the UN Security Council, on the situation in former Yugoslavia, was published on Wednesday. Below is the part of the report that applies to Macedonia.

The assassination attempt on President Gligorov of FYROM presents the most important single event during the mandate period. This terrorist act, which was unanimously judged by all larger political forces in the country, luckily, neither destabilized the national life, nor slowed down the process of internal reforms and initiatives in the foreign policy.

The growing role of the country on the international scene has contributed greatly to the maintenance of internal peace and security, although the parties from the opposition have continued to dispute the results of last year's parliamentary elections. The majority in the ruling coalition in the legislative body, has enabled the adoption of several imperative laws in the fields of democracy, privatization, the formation of political parties, the local self-management and education. Nevertheless, the inside differences remain, the internal threats to the country's stability have not ceased. The dissatisfaction of the ethnic Albanian minority is the greatest. The Government, on the other hand, believes that the inter-ethnic relations are unnecessarily "internationalized" internal issues, and that this can act against the country's interests. However, over the past eight months, the Government has taken some steps to satisfy some interests of the ethnic Albanians. All the persons imprisoned over the arms smuggling affair and the unrest in Tetovo, last February, were released. Special four-year classes for teachers in Albanian language were offered at the Teachers' College in Skopje. The quota of 10% is reserved in the institutions for High education of the students that represent the ethnic minorities, and the first ethnic Albanian General in the Army was appointed. The new laws on education and the local authorities now contain a certain number of provisions that apply to the needs and problems of the ethnic minorities. It's important that the Albanians, members of the Parliament, have stopped boycotting the sessions of Parliament and started to take an active part in the work of the National Assembly.

There are no outside threats that would point to any close military threats to the territorial integrity of the country. Three of the four neighboring countries have officially recognized FYROM. Recognition by FR Yugoslavia is anticipated (Serbia and Montenegro).

The Interim Accord between Greece and FYROM, signed on September 13, 1995, presents a turn in the relations between the two countries, and will have long-term implications for the region at large. I would like to express my satisfaction to the two governments for their constructive approaches which have helped me and my special envoy Mr. Cyrus Vance efficiently respond to the request of the Security Council, contained in Resolution 845. I am continuing my efforts to find solutions to the remaining differences between the two countries. The Accord, which has strengthened the internal position of the Republic, was followed immediately by the establishment of full diplomatic relations with several other states, the accession of the country to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe, participation in the "Partnership for peace" initiative, and a large number of other international and regional agreements.

Economically, the country was subject to the double effects of the embargo from the south and the consequences from the international sanctions against FR Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), for far too long. One of the consequences was the frequent violation of the sanctions, however, in cooperation with the IMF, the World Bank and some friendly countries, the Government has taken various measures of stabilizing the economy. So far, their success is partial. While the inflation rate has dropped and the dynamics of the privatization and bank reforms has continued, the industrial production has dropped considerably and unemployment has grown to 50% of the overall work force.

The efficient role of UNPREDEP is of great significance for the highest authorities in FYROM. UNPREDEP's regular maintenance of working contacts with a number of ministries in the Government has enabled the cooperation to develop to such an extent that it serves as an example and partnership at various level in the Government. The contacts with all political forces in the country, including the opposition and those forces that present the ethnic minorities, have a special significance for the functioning of the mission and the implementation of its mandate. Furthermore, mutually useful contacts were initiated by the commander of UNPREDEP, with the military authorities of Albania and FR Yugoslavia. Both sides have agreed that greater tolerance should be exercised during the border meetings and that the potentially explosive, but infrequent crossings of the border will be regarded as "honest mistakes." As a result from this, the number of border incidents between the patrols from both sides has dropped considerably.

[05] UNPREDEP LINKED DIRECTLY WITH NEW YORK?

In Boutros Ghali's report, a special part is dedicated to the preventive deployment of UN forces in Macedonia. It says that the preventive role of the deployment of UNPREDEP has contributed greatly to the peace and stability in the south of the Balkans. "The operation has shown that preventive deployment presents an efficient form of peacekeeping and that results can be achieved even with a symbolic deployment of UN peacekeepers, provided it is done on time and with a clear mandate.

The country host does not expect the UN to defend its borders, and regards the very presence of International forces as a sufficient deterrent that will discourage any potential aggressors. So far, the basic goal of the operation, not to expand the conflict in former Yugoslavia, has been achieved. Still, the FYROM Government, with which I agree, feels that the reasons that have brought to the establishment of the preventive operation of UN deployment still exist. The continued presence of UNPREDEP, with the basically same mandate, force and composition of soldiers, is vital for the keeping of the peace and stability in the country. Furthermore, I am aware of the need to address the Council, when that will be possible, for the establishment of UNPREDEP on entirely independent foundations and reporting directly to New York. For this, it will be necessary to adapt the administration, logistics and structures for military support of the mission, as well as to make some small amendments to its authorized power. I will present some appropriate proposals on these issues to the Council, as soon as possible. In any event, the mandate of UNPREDEP should be renewed in some 12 months, regardless of deployments in other countries in the region," Ghali says in his report to the UN Security Council.

[06] JAPANESE HELP BY NEW YEAR

The Japanese humanitarian "packet" with medical help for the Macedonian health organizations, which was made official on Wednesday with the exchange of notes between the governments of the two countries, is expected to arrive in Macedonia in the first quarter of next year. The highly sophisticated medical equipment, "weighing" some 5.5 million DEM, is mainly intended to equip and renew the outdated equipment at the clinics of the Medical faculty (with the exception of surgery) and the City Hospital in Skopje. The Japanese Government will put out a tender to provide the equipment, which, as agreed, will be dominated by equipment manufactured by Japanese producers.

(end)