Meeting of the EAPC Madrid, 9 July 1997

Statement by the President of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Gligorov The Republic of Macedonia sees NATO as one of the key pillars of the contemporary European security architecture (together with OSCE, EU and WEU). In this context, the Republic of Macedonia maintains the view that the current engagement of NATO for revolutionary transformation of its defence policy into collective security that should strengthen the stability and co-operation in the Euro-Atlantic region comes at the right time; now, when it is essential to resolve many open issues as soon as possible and to eliminate potential conflicts, especially in countries that are making the effort to succeed in the initiated processes of deep social reforms and democratisation. Consequently, the Republic of Macedonia deemed as very important the role played by the North-Atlantic Co-operation council (NACC). It has contributed greatly to the development of the relations between the countries of the Partnership, and between them and the Alliance. The NACC also laid down the foundations of the "partnership for Peace", where such co-operation is being successfully realised and put into concrete terms. Furthermore, The Republic of Macedonia has unreservedly supported and actively participated in the establishment of the new co-operation mechanism, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the enhanced Partnership for Peace. This framework for co-operation framework, together with the internal adjustments of the Alliance -command structures and the Combined Joint Task forces concept- will be as a major contribution to strengthening the European security architecture. Membership in NATO is long term orientation and objective of the Republic of Macedonia reached a decision to seek membership for our country in the Alliance. There is a broad political and social consensus in the country on this issue. The decision is the result of our strategic orientation to play an active role in building the broader security architecture in the Euro-Atlantic area. Furthermore, the Republic of Macedonia sees strengthening of the south wing of NATO as a priority in the process of NATO enlargement. In this area that encompasses the south of the Balkans, Macedonia is a key country for the peace stability, and should therefore unfailingly be included in the enlargement of the Alliance. Furthermore, the position of the Republic of Macedonia is that the process of enlargement in Central and Eastern Europe must be met with and adequate balance that would include countries from south-eastern Europe that would greatly increase the security in the region. Such balanced enlargement of NATO would have a positive impact on the whole region of the Mediterranean. Such comprehensive enlargement would be a real contribution to world stability with greater prospects for establishing democratic institutions. More so, in view of the fact that the Republic of Macedonia geographically belongs to the region of the South Balkans, a region that has historically and currently been a source of instability with much wider reflections. It is vital that this region assumes a different role and become a source of stability. In this way, many of the current misunderstandings would be resolved, ones that as rule have been causes for serious conflicts. This is a true challenge in the process of enlargement of NATO. In this context, it must be underline that the Republic of Macedonia is a country that lies on the crossroads of the Balkans with a central role in maintaining the balance of peace, and such determines the stability in the wider region. At the same time, the Republic of Macedonia also supports membership of other countries in NATO, especially those of her immediate neighbourhood. On the other hand, the Republic of Macedonia is maximally committed to realising the tasks set up as a condition for membership of the Partnership countries in the Alliance. As a member of the Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the republic of Macedonia has so successfully realised the activities within the framework of the Intensified individual Dialogue with NATO. Where it has presented its documents for discussion that were highly evaluated by the responsible authorities in NATO. Furthermore, the Republic of Macedonia has successfully prepared and realised the individual Partnership Program for 1996-1998 and enhanced Individual partnership Program for 1997-1999. In accordance with its orientation to build a small but well equipped and efficient army, the Republic of Macedonia undertook a complete organisational and formation reorganisation of its armed forces according to NATO standards and is a regular participant in the joint exercises of the Partners. The Republic of Macedonia has geared its capacities for participation in the operations, training and exercises of the Partnership for Peace. From the onset of its independence, the Republic of Macedonia has been setting up its Army on New Foundations, free of the burden of schemes. The contemporary legislature of the Republic of Macedonia (the Constitution and the Law on Defence) has greatly contributed to civil and democratic control over the military and to transparency in the decision making process. The Republic of Macedonia found it very easy great easy to take a positive stand on the "Study on NATO enlargement". This stems from the fact that the goals and principles for the enlargement of NATO fully correspond to the basic elements of the internal and external policy of the Republic of Macedonia. We see the acceptance of the basic principles of the United Nations Charter as the basis for true development of one historic process such as the enlargement of NATO. The strength of our foreign `policy lies exactly in respect of the UN Charter. The Republic of Macedonia is prepared to undertake the obligations based on the Washington agreement for unifying collective defence efforts to preserve peace and security, with a firm orientation that international disputes be resolved with peaceful means and through dialogue. In this context, it is important to have the following elements in mind: In the past years, the efforts the Republic of Macedonia to develop good neighbourly relations have been evident, resolving all open issues exclusively in a peaceful manner and by way of dialogue and establishing maximum co-operation with countries without interfering in their internal matters. Examples of this policy are the Interim accord with Greece, The Agreement regulating the relations and advancing the co-operation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. As a result, relations have been normalised and co-operation with these neighbouring countries is developing. In addition, there are many agreements that regulate matters in other concrete spheres. We are also in negotiations for finalising agreements of this kind with Bulgaria and Albania. All this means development on bilateral level, but just as importantly it means a positive impact for the whole Balkans. This is also the aim of the other concluded agreements, especially those in the economic sphere with Croatia and Slovenia. The Republic of Macedonia has signed agreements for co-operation in the field of defence with the following countries members of NATO- USA, Turkey, Germany, Italy, France, Great Britain and the NATO Partner countries-Slovenia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Good neighbourly relations as a contribution to enhancing the stability and security of all countries is a priority of our foreign policy. In this sense, the Republic of Macedonia is seeking to realise as many activities as it can to fundamentally increase the security in the region. Thus, on the proposal of the Republic of Macedonia on the 48th and 50th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Resolutions were adopted on good-neighbourly Relations among the Balkans as a stable zone of co-operation and peace by the year 2000. On the 51 General Assembly of the United Nation, the Republic of Macedonia proposed the resolution on "Maintenance of International Security by the Prevention of Forceful Disintegration of States". The presence of UNPREDEP in the Republic of Macedonia, a mission that has been set up on our initiative, is very important, particularly its preventive dimension. This mission is the sole example through which the international community has proved and advanced the practice of preventive diplomacy. In regard to the principle maintained by NATO that Enlargement is a phased process of integration and co-operation that will stem from the interaction between the multilateral institutions in Europe - the European Union, the WEU and the OSCE, this is a principle that fully concurs with our permanent orientation for integrating the Republic of Macedonia in the European integration processes. Notwithstanding, the Republic of Macedonia has gone one step further and feels that the process of enlargement should have more precise set of criteria that would need to be fulfilled by those who seek membership in the Alliance. Within this framework, the issue of protection and advancement of human rights must not be neglected. In this regard, the Republic of Macedonia is fully prepared and open for co-operation on an internal and international level. Such policy is a permanent orientation of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia and consequent to that the legislative and administrative measures that the Republic of Macedonia takes in this regard are in full concordance with international norms. In all crises situations that have occurred so far, the Republic of Macedonia, as a central country in the south part of the Balkans, has continuously proven its stabilising role, becoming a recognised factor of peace in this sensitive region. The Republic of Macedonia was and is the host and the initiator of the preventive missions of the OSCE and UNPREDEP. To confirm this lasting orientation, the Republic of Macedonia recently promoted the initiative of setting up a permanent multi-purpose-training centre for Partnership for Peace and NATO forces. Namely, following the already established training centres in Sweden for winter conditions and in Turkey for desert condition, the centre established in Macedonia would execute training for missions with preventive character or humanitarian missions. The presence and movement of foreign military forces in the Republic of Macedonia are regulated by the SOFA agreement between our country, NATO and the Partnership countries. This would open up yet another possibility for realising the programmes of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the enhanced PfP, and at the same time it would mean contribution to the stabilisation process in the region. However, this would certainly not suffice if the co-operation between the countries partners of NATO is not raised of a raised of a higher level and unless adequate guarantees are given to the remaining Partners that they would not be neglected. This is where the Republic of Macedonia sees the importance of the EAPC and the enhanced PfP, together with the official representation of the partner countries in the Headquarters in Brussels. Furthermore, the Republic of Macedonia supports and deems as very important the signing of the Founding Act between NATO and Russia and the Charter on Special Relations between NATO and the Ukraine. We believe they are a contribution to building confidence and avoiding prospects of new lines of division in Europe. Security in the Euro-Atlantic area is conditioned by the contribution of all countries regardless of their size and potential. Namely the countries that will be invited in the first round of enlargement will have already traced and guaranteed stable relations that derive from the very membership in NATO. This matter of the relations for those that will remain outside following the first round, is an issue that perhaps deserves even more attention in seeking the true political moves. The way NATO transformation transpires will be the factor that will keep the distance between the Partners and the Allies. However, it is this very time distance that can cause various reactions in each of these countries. There are a number of elements that will be fundamental in securing true confidence and successful co-operation between member and partner countries. We are confident that in the upcoming period, the Alliance will prove that NATO will be transformed without weakening its force and cohesion. At the same time, it remains a priority that the Alliance give strong assurances that the doors will remain open for those Partners that have truly committed their maximum efforts to NATO membership. This raises the issue of the fate of those stable countries that find themselves in problem regions due to reasons not of their own making and fault. Will the fate of such countries be left to depend above all on the developments in their surroundings, in spite of the maximum efforts that those countries might be putting in to successful embrace the standards posed by the Alliance? That would mean endlessly supporting some and disorienting and discouraging other countries that have already initiated their transformation. Consequently, there is an imposing need for more comprehensive understanding of the specific characteristic that a certain region may have; for, often times, the geographic expanse contains labyrinths that shadow the right way. Unpredictability of events, such as the current situation in Albania, should not be allowed as a time factor that determines the success of the collective efforts for building a system of security. Just the opposite, it is necessary to clearly steer events in the direction of co-operation and support for those countries that generate stability. Unless this is secured, we will have a situation of certain countries being treated "as a group", while at the outbreak of crises they would be required to as "fire fighters". This is why we believe that countries should be treated equally and that all efforts of one country should be valorised accordingly. This excludes possibilities for uncritical grouping or classification. It is essential to create the conditions for a real assessment of the efforts that each country makes, individually. Much is being invested in the development of democracy in south-eastern Europe. This investment must culminate with a successfully enlarged NATO and a more comprehensive European Union. It is of the utmost importance to use this present opportunity of ongoing processes of revision of a number of elements that determine the security of Europe. Security will depend on the quality of the revision, but also on the range of countries that will accept and be given the chance to become integrated as equal members of NATO, the EU and the WEU. In this context, the activities of regional organisations must also be supported. Presently this is still not the case, in view of the fact that their membership includes countries that are members of NATO, the EU and WEU and countries that are not. As a result, many joint actions become more difficult and limited form the very start. For the Republic of Macedonia, it is a very important fact that in the majority of western European countries there is a growing awareness of the need to shape up the future Euro-Atlantic community on the basis of individual stability and regional balance that would avert new barriers and divisions and possible spill-overs of instability generated in some countries. Valorisation of individual stability and regional balance will trace the way of communication for building the European security architecture of the 21th century