The Impending Recognition

* Mr Andov, how far has the process of international recognition gone?

We think that the progress of the Yugoslav crisis is such that the international recognition of its republics is needed for its clarification. We would later see what interest we have in entering an association with other Yugoslav states. Almost all the EC countries except Greece have an underlying consent on the issue of Macedonian recognition. The American ambassador has recently said here that USA is in the process of coordinating its stand with the process of recognizing the Yugoslav republics by the EC; Macedonia has, according to Mr. Zimmermann fulfilled the conditions for recognition. They all say that Macedonia has conducted constructive and peace-oriented politics and that the Macedonian people, on the basis of international principles, have manifested their political will. So, according to our information, it seems that the international recognition of Macedonia is a done thing.

* How do you view the position of Greece towards Macedonia in these circumstances and in the light of the recent official Greek-Macedonian talks in Athens?

The talks in Athens were fruitful and to the point. I think that Greece made a good gesture by starting up the official talks with Macedonia, regardless of the fact that, owing to its domestic policy, wants to present those talks as being only expert-oriented, without having any political connotation. By approaching as a partner which he has to have dialogue with, Greece is starting to grasp the real state of affairs which is good for both our nations. The Greeks have enough good politicians who would have to work at home in the manner which would make the Greek public opinion grasp that they have a real need to talk with Macedonia. All the more because there is not a single reason why Greece would have a reserved attitude towards Macedonia.

* How serious is the threat of Greece that it will within the EC place a veto on the international recognition of Macedonia?

I think that the Greeks can do nothing and that they would only compromise themselves by making such a move. They are unlikely to take such a step. It would primarily be a foolish, spiteful reaction, and not a well thought out political act. They would demonstrate an attitude which is far from the European understanding of the international relations.

* Do you think that Bulgarians are wiser for their undivided support of the international recognition of Macedonia?

The Bulgarian leadership has to make careful political moves which it is doing in order to show that it has no designs on the Macedonian territory. The present efforts of Bulgaria are only natural: any wise politician would have done the same. It is true that some of their leading politicians still concern themselves with the issue of the existence of the Macedonian nation, as if the existence of a certain nation depends on whether a statesman from another country will verify it or not. However, I repeat again that the official politics of Bulgaria increasingly reveals that there are modern politicians in that country who are for constructive approach, which is good for them, for Macedonia and for Balkans as a whole.

* Is the fair attitude of the Serbian Minister Vladimir Jovanovic towards Macedonia which he has expressed in Athens the result of the successful meeting in Ohrid between Gligorov (the Macedonian president) and Milosevic?

We have in Ohrid, without mutual pressure and threats, cleared up all the misunderstandings with the Serbian side. It is only natural that Mr. Jovanovic should abide by what we have agreed.

* What misunderstandings were treated in Ohrid?

Well, it concerned more our different views than the actual misunderstandings. The Serbian side has posed a question of whether we will join the common state which would consist of Serbia, Montenegro and possibly Bosnia and Herzegovina. They have told us that they would approve of our international recognition, but that we should also join such a common state. We have made it clear to them that we are presently in the process of finalizing our international recognition and that such process goes against their offer since we can not ask for the international recognition of our state independence and at the same time be a part of another state. However, we have let them know that we are eager to develop cooperation with Serbia in all areas as well as with the other republics which will become independent states. Since the Serbian representatives in Ohrid have, quite naturally, asked us whether we intend to enter any other kind of state (made up of Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), we have clearly stated that in the near future we can not enter into an association with any of the republics until the problem of Yugoslavia is solved. All the possible groupings and associations which would now be formed in Yugoslavia are not the result of the authentic interests of the states which will spring up here, but all this is in the shadow of the potential wars and the war which is now in progress. We do not want to take part in such associations.

* Not a word was uttered in Ohrid about the Army?

Neither do we want to talk with Serbia about the Army, nor does Serbia accept to talk with us on that matter. With regards to the Army, we have invited general Kadijevic to visit Macedonia, he hesitated to come and he has now, as you know, resigned, so his successor will have to come here and settle all kinds of issues with us. The Army can not claim that it will not interfere with the political solutions and at the same time treat the Macedonian leadership as if we are not the ones who are in charge of the political destiny of Macedonia. They have to arrange with us when and under what conditions they will retreat from Macedonia.

* Who has to retreat from Macedonia?

According to certain estimates, there are 20% more of the Army troops presently stationed in Macedonia than the peacetime maximum.

* January 20 is being put as the date of their final retreat from Macedonia?

It would be best to talk about it with the Army. We expect the basic fairness on their part that whatever stays here-stays undamaged. Furthermore, that the arms which are needed for the defence of Macedonia stay here, that the arms belonging to the territorial defence which was bought with the money from the special republic fund stays intact, that the border protection system be preserved with all the necessary material and technical equipment etc.

* Do you think that the newly appointed commander of the Third Army District general Nikola Uzelac is a good negotiating partner?

Unlike the fronts in Croatia, the Army tasks are different here: a retreat should be organized here. If Uzelac is successful in doing that, I expect that our relations will be characterized as being fair.

* When this interview is published the results on the "successfully conducted referendum" of the Albanians in Macedonia for the territorial and political autonomy will be known...

We are not surprised that the two Albanian parties (the Party of Democratic Change and the National Democratic Party) have organized a referendum. They have shown their narrow-minded conception at the last year census in Macedonia. These parties claim that there are 800 000 Albanians living in Macedonia: contrary to the official figure of 430 000, they need this figure to prove that they represent 40 percent of the Macedonian population, so that, on the basis of that Macedonia would have to be a federation with Macedonians and Albanians as state-recognized nations with others with the status of national minority. That is precisely the reason they did not appear at the official census, regardless of all the concessions which the Macedonian government made to their conditions. The next phase of their platform was the boycott of the referendum which had been carried out in Macedonia. It was against their interest to see the strengthening of the Macedonia state in its present form. They wanted to initiate the talks on the Macedonian federal state, from which they would, in the next stage and after the results of the referendum of the Albanians, separate. I think that this political concept is both obsolete and untenable, since it can not be achieved in a democratic way. That conception, whether they want it or not, will push them towards forcible and non-democratic methods. That is clear even now. Firstly, their ambition to join with the Albanians all the Moslems who live here - Turks, Gypsies, Macedonian Moslems does not work since they do not want to be Albanians but a national minority which will have an equal status with the rest. Furthermore, since that conception leads into separatism, those parties will, although the majority of the Albanians obey their party leaders, in the end come into conflict with the interests of the Albanian masses: those people are still the citizens of Macedonia, they want to buy, to sell, to enjoy social protection etc. I think that the state authority will make a mistake if in any way it chooses to be the one which will be implementing repression. The Macedonian state should only prevent the repression of the parties towards its citizens. I am convinced that the democratic methods will exhaust this nationalist fervor of the Albanians and that it will turn out that the conception and platform of their two parties are untenable. A possible referendum is without any legal consequences for the position of the Albanians in Macedonia.