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MILS NEWS 24/01/96From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>Macedonian Information Liaison Service DirectoryCONTENTS[01] AGREEMENT ON SUCCESSION OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA PREPARED[02] TALKS IN BELGRADE IN A FAIR-PLAY ATMOSPHERE[03] 'SKOPJE ISSUE' - A PRIORITY IN THE GREEK POLITICS[04] MACEDONIAN AMBASSADORS IN EU AND DPR KOREA[05] FAREWELL VISITS OF THE AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR[06] INTEREST IN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COALITION PARTNERS[07] SUBVENTIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS[08] ENORMOUS SURPLUS OF MILK[09] PROMOTION OF A BOOK ON THE WAR PHENOMENON[10] THE FIRST MATCH AGAINST LIHTENSTEINMILS SUPPLEMENT:[11] GREEK ENTREPRENEURS PROMISE TO BE FYROM'S 'BEST NEIGHBOUR'MILS NEWSSkopje, 24 January 1996[01] AGREEMENT ON SUCCESSION OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA PREPAREDInternational community has prepared an Agreement on the succession of former Yugoslavia which will be offered to be signed in coming months. This was said yesterday the representative of the Croatian government on the succession issue, Bozo Marendic, who added that European Union has made the Agreement in accordance with the principles of Badinter's commission, accepting the fact that SFRY has dissolved and that all former republics are its equal successors. The highest value, according to Marendic, has the military equipment of 70 billion $US, while real estate property was estimated to 500 million $US. In his interview for Zagreb daily 'Vjesnik', reported A-1 Television, Marendic accused Great Britain and France of trying to help FRY to use foreign currency deposits of former Yugoslavia in foreign countries.[02] TALKS IN BELGRADE IN A FAIR-PLAY ATMOSPHEREDiscussions on the normalization of the relations between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia continued yesterday behind closed doors in Belgrade. Macedonian Television unofficially reported that consultations are being held in a fair-play atmosphere, estimating that they could result in an agreement on mutual recognition of FRY and Macedonia, and in direct opening of embassies instead of liaison offices.[03] 'SKOPJE ISSUE' - A PRIORITY IN THE GREEK POLITICSThe government's positions on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are known and it is with these positions that Athens has entered into negotiations in New York on the matter of the neighbouring country's name, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said yesterday. The spokesman made the statement when asked whether there would be any change in Athens' positions on the FYROM issue, in light of statement expressing disagreement with the policy followed to date made by newly appointed Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos. Reppas said that the government's positions remained the same, clarifying that Pangalos was 'bound' by the government's position.The spokesman also announced that the next meeting of the Greek and FYROM delegations in New York would take place either on Feb. 12 or Feb. 25. Meanwhile, Greek daily 'Ta Nea', reported 'Makfax' agency, yesterday published a list of ten highest priority tasks of the new cabinet of Premiere Constantine Simitis, with the so-called 'Skopje issue' on the top of the list. 'Ta Nea' anticipated that, in case Athens' attitude yields, which is indicated by the appointement of Theodoros Pangalos for a Chief of Diplomacy, there will be reactions both from the opposition parties and from PASOK. Premiere Simitis and Chief of Diplomacy Pangalos, have more than once emphasized the need to close the name issue, concluded 'Ta Nea'. [04] MACEDONIAN AMBASSADORS IN EU AND DPR KOREAMacedonian President Kiro Gligorov appointed two associate Ambassadors of Republic of Macedonia. The first one is to the European Union Mission, Jovan Tegovski, present Macedonian Ambassador in the Kingdom of Belgium, seated in Brussels, and the second one is to DPR Korea, Vladimir Petkovski, Macedonian Ambassador to PR China.[05] FAREWELL VISITS OF THE AUSTRIAN AMBASSADORAmbassador of Austria to Macedonia, Curt Spallinger, yesterday paid a farewell visit to Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov and they talked about the friendly relations of the two countries. In the context of the mutually expressed need for meetings on highest level, President Gligorov invited Austrian President Thomas Clestel to visit Macedonia soon.Ambassador Spallinger stressed the great international success of Macedonia, adding that Austria will support the process of Macedonian international integration. Austrian Ambassador also met with the President of Macedonian Parliament, Stojan Andov, the Premiere Branko Crvenkovski and the Foreign Minister, Stevo Crvenkovski. [06] INTEREST IN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COALITION PARTNERSSecretary-general of the Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia, Ljubomir Popovski, had a meeting yesterday with Mr. Victor Comras, Chief of the U.S. Mission in Skopje, discussusing the current political, economy and social situation in the country, as well as the international activities of Macedonia at present. Comras expressed a great interest in the current relations of the coalition partners of the Macedonian Government and wider in the Alliance.[07] SUBVENTIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTSMacedonian government will set aside 415 million denars for subvention of the agricultural products, which should stimulate and balance this production. The premium for the milk will remain 3 denars per one liter, which means that the same quantities as the last year will be ransomed. The sunflower premium will be 25% of the total price, and 30 000 tones will be bought up (last year 17 000 tones were bought up), while the sugar and oil beet premium will be 20%. Wheat production will not be regressed this year, which will not affect the price of bread, as it will be set by the government. The draft Program for the tourist and informative-propaganda activities was also adopted, and it was decided the government to alocate 14 million denars. On the proposal of the Minister of Law, the general manager of the district prison in Ohrid, Miladin Krstanovski, was released from duty, and Nikola Rinkovski was appointed on this position.[08] ENORMOUS SURPLUS OF MILKProblems of Macedonian producers of milk and dairies were discussed yesterday in Macedonian Chamber of Commerce. It was said that like never before the enormous surplus of milk appeared, which was not reduced with the decrease of import prelevments for 80%. Producers pointed out the uncontrolled import as the main reason for this, and asked from the competitive ministries to reconsider the prelevments, to solve the reserves problem by their ransom, and to eliminate producers such as the dairy factory in Gostivar, that does not buy up, but sells milk.In this context, Macedonian Television compared the prices of milk and dairy products in Macedonia with those on markets worldwide, according to which the hard cheese ('kashkaval') is almost four times more expensive in Macedonia, while the prices of cheese and milk are 2.8 and 1.7 times higher, respectively. [09] PROMOTION OF A BOOK ON THE WAR PHENOMENONThe book titled 'The Pulse of The War' by the retired General Colonel Todor Atanasovski, was yesterday promoted in Skopje by the Minister of Defense, Blagoj Hanjiski. The book was published on the occasion of its fifth anniversary of the weekly 'Puls'. The work contains more than 200 essays, military comments and interviews, referring to the phenomenon of the war, its characteristics, generators and hidden backgrounds. Defense strategy of Macedonia is also paid attention to, as well as the war on the territory of former Yugoslavia. The author clearly points out, said Hanjiski, that the peace today is inseparable and that the problems of the world are tightly connected and mutually dependent.[10] THE FIRST MATCH AGAINST LIHTENSTEINMacedonia will start the qualifications for the World football championship on April 24 in Skopje, with the game against the team of Lihtenstein. The second game of Macedonian national team will take place on June 2, against the Iceland team. On October 9 Macedonian team will be a guest to the team of Ireland, and the rematch against Lihtenstein is scheduled for November 10. On December 14 of this year Macedonian national team will play against Romania.The first game next year will take place on April 2, against Ireland, and than with Iceland on June 7. Macedonia will be a guest to Romania on August 20, to Lithuania on October 6, and the last game of Macedonian team will take place on October 11 in Skopje against Lithuania. MILS SUPPLEMENT:[11] GREEK ENTREPRENEURS PROMISE TO BE FYROM'S 'BEST NEIGHBOUR'(Athens News Agency Report, 23 January 1996)Businessmen and experts from Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) came together in Athens today to examine broadening economic cooperation between the two newly-reconciled neighbours. Dozens of Greek business representatives, including representatives of some of the largest firms in the country, received a first-hand briefing on the state of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) economy, the business environment and possibilities of cooperation in the trade and investment sector on the sidelines of a conference organized by the international Economic Relations Institute. The Institute is an agency created recently by the Federation of Societe Anonyme and Limited Liability companies (SAEEPE) to promote Greek entrepreneurs' knowledge of neighbouring countries and investment opportunities. The officials attending and addressing the event on the part of FYROM were V.Vasileva-Markovska, director of the State Enterprise Privatization Organization, T. Nenovsky, deputy governor of Skopje's central bank and two economists who are professors at the Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. International economic relations secretary-general at the national economy ministry, Nikos Zahariadis, told the participants that Greece looked forward to strengthening economic exchange between the two countries since such a development would bolster wider mutual understanding between them. In the Balkans, he said, all could and should benefit economically from the peace process. The national economy ministry would actively support Greek businessmen's efforts for a more active presence in FYROM. He called on the neighbouring country to shape a suitable institutional cooperation framework. SAEEPE president and well-known businessman P. Kyriakopoulos said that after the mutual establishment of diplomatic missions it would be proved that Greece was FYROM's best neighbour. He said FYROM could justifiably expect Greek investments soon. Geographical, cultural and religious links meant businessmen from the two countries could come to excellent understandings with each other, he said, adding that a Greek business mission to visit FYROM and an exhibition of Greek products were in the pipeline. Speaking on behalf of the Greek business community, he expressed the intention of soon making Greece the top trade and investment partner for FYROM. The most important sectors of cooperation with FYROM, as far as Greece is concerned, are foodstuffs, beverages, footwear, clothing, building and construction materials, fuel, chemical fertilizers, household and office equipment and transport and banking. It was added that strengthening relations with Greece would drastically reduce the present thriving black market and smuggling in FYROM. Greek businessmen called on the Greek government to shape a specific package of incentives for FYROM and to place priority on the issue of effective insurance coverage for their private investments. Three Greek banks (the National, Commercial and Ionian) have already shown interest in expanding to FYROM, while the conviction was stressed that the port of Thessaloniki will soon develop into an economic centre for the import and export trade of FYROM. The experts from FYROM said they were relieved at both lifting of Greek retortion measures and of economic sanctions against Serbia, following the Dayton agreement, saying these developments at last allowed their country's economy to resume the necessary contact with the international economy to revert an alarming decline in its industrial and agricultural production. (end)mils news 24 January 1996 |