Post by radovic on Apr 18, 2008 19:35:18 GMT -5
Macedonia in No Rush to Recognise Kosovo
Email a friend
Save article
Print article
Increase text size
Decrease text size
18 April 2008 Skopje _ Macedonia will not rush to recognise Kosovo's independence, Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki told media on Friday.
“Macedonia has not recognized Kosovo yet. We are discussing it. Macedonia is not Britain, we are neighbours of Serbia and Kosovo and we want good relations with both of them,” Antonio Milososki told the Czech daily Lidove Noviny.
Milososki warned that developments in Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia still pose a potential risk to Balkan stability.
Skopje fears it could spoil its good economic relations with Belgrade if it rushes to recognise Kosovo.
At the same time, the foreign minister reiterated Skopje's dissatisfaction with NATO's decision in early April not to invite Macedonia to join the Alliance, a decision prompted by Greek disapproval of the country’s name.
“Our soldiers are with the other NATO troops in Afghanistan, risking their lives, and it does not bother anyone that the name Macedonia is written on their uniforms,” Milososki said.
Athens argues that the name “Republic of Macedonia” implies territorial claims over its own northern province, which is also called Macedonia.
“If Macedonia is welcome when it’s risking the lives of its soldiers, then why does Greece not welcome it to join the Alliance?” Milososki asked.
Talks on the issue of Macedonia's formal name have been going on between the two countries for 15 years.
“I do not think that it is a disagreement over the name," Milososki said. "Behind the disagreement over the name of our country lies a hidden agenda and that is to not give Macedonia the right to its national and linguistic self-determination."
After visiting Skopje on Wednesday, the UN mediator in the talks, Matthew Nimetz, flies to Athens on Friday in order to start a fresh round of negotiations. Read more at www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/9486/
Prior to the NATO summit in April, Nimetz' latest proposal for renaming the country “Republic of Macedonia (Skopje)” was accepted by Skopje but rejected by Athens.
Email a friend
Save article
Print article
Increase text size
Decrease text size
18 April 2008 Skopje _ Macedonia will not rush to recognise Kosovo's independence, Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki told media on Friday.
“Macedonia has not recognized Kosovo yet. We are discussing it. Macedonia is not Britain, we are neighbours of Serbia and Kosovo and we want good relations with both of them,” Antonio Milososki told the Czech daily Lidove Noviny.
Milososki warned that developments in Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia still pose a potential risk to Balkan stability.
Skopje fears it could spoil its good economic relations with Belgrade if it rushes to recognise Kosovo.
At the same time, the foreign minister reiterated Skopje's dissatisfaction with NATO's decision in early April not to invite Macedonia to join the Alliance, a decision prompted by Greek disapproval of the country’s name.
“Our soldiers are with the other NATO troops in Afghanistan, risking their lives, and it does not bother anyone that the name Macedonia is written on their uniforms,” Milososki said.
Athens argues that the name “Republic of Macedonia” implies territorial claims over its own northern province, which is also called Macedonia.
“If Macedonia is welcome when it’s risking the lives of its soldiers, then why does Greece not welcome it to join the Alliance?” Milososki asked.
Talks on the issue of Macedonia's formal name have been going on between the two countries for 15 years.
“I do not think that it is a disagreement over the name," Milososki said. "Behind the disagreement over the name of our country lies a hidden agenda and that is to not give Macedonia the right to its national and linguistic self-determination."
After visiting Skopje on Wednesday, the UN mediator in the talks, Matthew Nimetz, flies to Athens on Friday in order to start a fresh round of negotiations. Read more at www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/9486/
Prior to the NATO summit in April, Nimetz' latest proposal for renaming the country “Republic of Macedonia (Skopje)” was accepted by Skopje but rejected by Athens.