ARE THE MACEDONIANS AND THE GREEKS CLOSER TO A

NEGOTIATING TABLE?

AIM, SKOPJE, March 22, 1995

Is the beginning of a resolution of the Greek-Macedonian controversy closer, and perhaps even the possibility of eliminating one of the generators of instability in the Balkans? Judging by what was coming from the United Nations headquarters in New York last week, what was published in Athens and later carried in Macedonian media, it appears that the Greeks and the Macedonians have never been closer to a negotiating table; and negotiations in which they might even, for the first time, meet eye to eye, not just with Cyrus Vance. Namely, according to the information published in Athens yesterday, which refers to diplomatic sources in the UN, on April 6 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, direct Macedonian-Greek negotiations are scheduled to begin at the level of foreign ministers. In other words, in the beginning of next month, besides Cyrus Vance, the head of Greek diplomacy, Carolos Papoullas, and the Macedonian foreign Minister, Stevo Crvenkovski should sit down at the same table.

The dispute between Skopje and Athens is as old as the dissolution of former Yugoslavia, that is, it dates back to the moment when on its ruins, its former poorest and Southernmost republic - the present Republic of Macedonia - proclaimed its independence. Athens was bothered by its name which, according to Greek interpretations, belongs solely to the Greek heritage, and which is at the same time, the name of a Northern Greek province. With more or less success, Greece was opposed to recognition of this new Balkan state. In order to agree to its existence even officially, Athens demanded the change of its name. All this time, with the mediation of the international community - the European Union and the United Nations - the attempts lasted to find a solution through indirect negotiations. Through indirect negotiations, because Athens did not wish to sit down at the same table, because that would have meant that it indirectly recognized the existince of the new state. A solution was not found, so Macedonia was accepted in the United Nations with a temporary name - the Former Yugoslav Republic Macedonia, and Greece succeeded to prevent its acceptance by the OSCE, or actually to postpone it until the dispute is resolved. This was not in the least pleasant for a young state, unarmed, with an army in its infancy, which is, by the way, bordering an exceptionally crisis-stricken region, and finally, for a country with a sensitive ethnic structure and fragile internal stability.

That now a light might really be appearing in the tunnel is verified by the information from Vienna which says that in the next few days, Secretary General of the OSCE, Vilhelm Jonck, is also expected to go to the USA, meet with Cysus Vance, and be personally convinced how correct are the news which flooded the Greek and the Macedonian media announcing resolution of the Greek-Macedonian dispute. This should also, most probably, mean the green light for the reception of Macedonia in the OSCE, and then it would create the feeling in the Macedonians that it is better protected from a possible war.

Sitting down at the negotiating table after a lull which followed PASOK's and Prime Minister Andreas Papandreus's coming into power, is expected to contribute to lifting of the Greek embargo which was introduced by Papandreus's Government in February last year against this former Yugoslav republic. This would be a significant relief for the Macedonian economy which was seriously eroded by this measure of the Greek Government, because for this country which has no exit at a sea, the Greek port Thesalloniki was its shortest communication with the world. One should also bear in mind that Macedonia also suffers from the results of the sanctions of the international community introduced against Belgrade, because due to them it cannot use the shortest transportation link with Europe which goes via Serbia. Briefly, it is forced to use the insufficiently passable roads through Bulgaria and Albania, countries it has not even railway lines with. According to what has been revealed so far in Athens, the UN mediator, Cyrus Vance, has pepared a draft agreement which was agreed to by both the parties. This draft predicts resolution of a part of the problems which are apparently less serious. Skopje is expected to change the insignia on its flag, the sun with sixteen rays, a symbol discovered on the sarcophagus of Philip the Macedonian, father of Alexander the Great, which dates back from the fourth century B.C. and which Athens also considers part of its heritage. Macedonia is also expected to change parts of its Constitution which mention the obligation of the Macedonian state to take care of the rights of its ethnic minority in neighbouring countries, meaning, in Greece as well, whose existence is denied by Athens. For the beginning, the Greek party would lift the embargo. Since the name of the Macedonian state will not be discusses in this phase of negotiations, the project figures as the "small negotiating packet".

Some declarations in Skoplje, however, began throwing a shade on the possibility of agreement. According to what the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, and later the spokesman of the Macedonian Government, this Government has never opposed a direct Greek-Macedonian dialogue, but, on the contrary, that is what it has always insisted on. But, it still believes that it is impossible to negotiate under conditions of the embargo which was unilaterally imposed by the Greek Government. Does this mean that the story is returning back to the beginning when the Greek Government insisted on a "sign of good will" from the Government in Skopje, which was supposed to be symbolized by the decision to change the insignia on the Macedonian flag, and the Government in Skopje demanded that the embargo be lifted in order to begin the negotiating process about all controversial issues? For the time being, it is difficult to answer this question. Everything will be more certain in the beginning of April when the meeting of Crvenkovski and Papoullas is scheduled to take place in New York.

VERA GEORGIEVSKA