Belgrade - Skopje, via Athens

Ilija Djukic, former Yugoslav Foreign Minister in Milan Panic's government, and one time Yugoslav Ambassador to Bulgaria, was one of the members of the Democratic Party (DS) delegation which visited Macedonia. Talking to VREME, this experienced diplomat said that he believed that Skopje was ready for a final solution, i.e., the bilateral recognition of the two countries. "Even though they believe that there aren't any serious obstacles for mutual recognition, I think, that on the basis of the talks we had there, official Skopje would, for a start, accept some partial steps in that direction", said Djukic. "The opening of diplomatic offices is the minimum that can be achieved. The institution of quasi-diplomatic missions is known in the world of diplomacy as something that precedes normal relations between two countries. If we already have something like that with Croatia, why shouldn't such a step forward be made with Macedonia and Slovenia, where there are fewer problems to tackle. Before leaving for Skopje we underwent a sort of briefing here in Belgrade, and heard official stands, but also said why we were going. On returning from Skopje, we informed Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic of our meetings in Macedonia. This is the usual practice in any parliamentary system, regardless of the fact if you agree or disagree with official policy. The general impression after all these meetings is that something is being done by Belgrade towards recognizing Macedonia."

All arguments for and against recognizing the Republic of Macedonia, speak in favor of the thesis that there shouldn't be much hesitating, said Ilija Djukic. Yugoslavia and Macedonia have some controversial questions such as: the length of the border (last summer's politicization of the border issue, has fortunately, deflated quickly), cultural heritage, the maintaining of Serbian soldiers' graves, and specifying the rights of the Serbian minority. These and similar controversial issues which exist between many neighboring countries, will be resolved more easily once normal diplomatic and friendly relations are established.

"It is in our interest to have good relations with Macedonia", said Djukic. "During important historical turning points we have always been on the same side. We have no problem with their name, or the design of the Macedonian flag. Macedonia is the only republic which seceded from Socialist Yugoslavia in a civilized manner, by agreement, and without a single bullet being fired. Before that, Macedonia had invested lot of good will and effort in finding forms, ways and means for the second Yugoslavia to survive. Economically, Macedonia is oriented towards Serbia and Yugoslavia because more than 70% of its production used to end up in Serbia. This structure has not been changed, and the break in cooperation is detrimental to us. They face a restructuring of the economy just as we do, and this cannot be done without agreement and coordination. Many existing links between the citizens of the two states speak in favor of recognition, and the necessity of communication, and the natural passage of goods and people.

"I wish to believe that in some derogatory statements on Macedonia's account, there are elements of nostalgia for the former joint state and times when it was much easier to travel and communicate", said Djukic. "It's not a good thing, however, if some of these statements are political stands, because they are very harmful. I don't accept them and I don't understand them. Assessments that Macedonia would never leave Yugoslavia, were obviously incorrect. If we were prepared to accept the fact that Slovenia had ceded, why shouldn't the same apply to Macedonia. This must be understood, just like the fact that there is no going back."

According to Djukic, at the moment there are no real, deep, national and state reasons why Yugoslavia could not make the recognition of Macedonia conditional to the prior regulating of relations between Skopje and Athens. In international practice, such a "package arrangement" in resolving bilateral relations is not usual and understandable, and does not leave a good impression. "If we are proposing a confederation to Macedonia", said Djukic, "then obviously, directly or indirectly we are offering something to a country we don't recognize, and with which we have a common border. At the same time, we take as our main partner a country with which we don't have a common border, but do have diplomatic relations. And then these two countries don't recognize the third country. This is really a very unusual combination which gives rise to doubt even among neighbors. At first I thought that Milosevic was trying to find a short cut to a more global solution in the stabilization of the Balkans. But that doesn't seem to be the case, so that I am not sure that this proposal will help Greece and Macedonia resolve their controversy."

Contrary to widespread belief that the recognition of Macedonia would spoil relations between Belgrade and Athens, Djukic insists that we can learn pragmatism from the Greeks. Djukic said that Greece had voted for all the resolutions on Yugoslavia and against Yugoslavia, in all the forums it had sat in, and that it will continue to vote and be our friend. The road north, to the European Union goes via Macedonia and Yugoslavia, i.e. Serbia, so that Greece will always be interested in good relations with us.