Press Release (1999)056 9 Apr. 1999

Statement by NATO Secretary General Solana on behalf of the North Atlantic Council on the 19+1 Meeting with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1) Today, the North Atlantic Council met with Foreign Minister Aleksandar Dimitrov and Defence Minister Nikola Kljusev of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia . On this occasion, NATO Allies reiterated their gratitude for the generous support the country has provided to the efforts of the international community to bring peace to Kosovo and in particular to address the grave humanitarian crisis brought on by the actions of FRY forces in Kosovo. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1 has played, and continues to play, a vital role in this regard. The Alliance is, of course, aware of the immense hardship that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1 is undergoing because of the massive influx of refugees into its territory. In response to this latest crisis, the Alliance's military forces have been engaged in refugee relief in co-operation with the relevant humanitarian organisations, in particular the UNHCR, which is the lead international agency in this field. Our forces have been providing and transporting supplies, providing logistical support, assisting in setting up refugee centres and in building infrastructure for these centres. At its meeting of 3rd April, Council authorised the Commander of the NATO forces in the country, General Sir Michael Jackson, to take responsibility for co-ordinating NATO's humanitarian efforts in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1, making use of all available NATO forces in the area. The NATO Commanders will continue to initiate action at every opportunity to assist the international humanitarian effort, with the intention of handing over such initiatives to the UNHCR or other agencies when appropriate. In addition, NATO member States are actively engaged in humanitarian relief efforts by providing humanitarian and financial assistance. NATO and its Partners will continue their efforts, including through the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Co-ordination Centre to assist the co-ordination of the international humanitarian effort. The co-operation on the ground between NATO and the authorities of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1 is proceeding very well. Following the Council decision of 31st March, a NATO liaison team was sent to Skopje to further strengthen our liaison with the authorities, for as long as circumstances require. We have been also looking at practical ways of helping. For example, Council has decided, on an exceptional basis, to waive the host country's usual share of 25 per cent of any damages caused by NATO forces deployed under the Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agreement and under the command of COMARRC. As the Alliance has repeatedly made clear, NATO forces stationed in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are not offensive forces. They are enabling forces for what, we hope, will become the NATO-led Peace Implementation Force that will be able to deploy swiftly to Kosovo to assist with the implementation of a political settlement accepted by both sides. We reiterate that any attack on the NATO forces stationed in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia would be met by an appropriate response by the Alliance. The security of all NATO member States is inseparably linked to that of all Partner countries, especially those hosting NATO troops, and the security of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is of a direct and material concern to the Alliance. In that connection, NATO has repeatedly stated that it would be unacceptable if the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were to threaten the territorial integrity, political independence and security of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. NATO will respond to any such challenges to the security of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia stemming from the presence of NATO forces and their activities in its territory. The Alliance continues to broaden and deepen its co-operation with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in matters beyond the current crisis. The Partnership for Peace co-operation programme with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is developing into a very productive relationship which will also assist the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to prepare for possible future membership in the Alliance. It proceeds on the basis of a revised Individual Partnership Programme (IPP) for 1998-2000 which, in accordance with Spring 1998 Ministerial decisions, have enhanced and supplemented PfP co-operation with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Co-operation in this framework includes border security, civil emergency planning, crisis management and logistics, exercises, as well as direct material/technical assistance mainly from Nations. NATO looks forward to its continued co-operation with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Footnotes Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.