Updated: 05-Sep-2001 | Week of 27 August - 2 September 2001 |
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Lord Robertson in SkopjeLord Robertson held frank discussions with President Trajkovski, Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, Minister of the Interior Ljube Boshkovski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilinka Mitreva and Minister of Defence Vlado Bukovski on the present situation. The political process, which is being conducted in parallel with Operation Essential Harvest, is now fully engaged. The political framework agreement signed on 13 August is currently being debated and the vote will take place in Parliament on 4 September. Lord Robertson also met with the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Stojan Andov, and addressed parliamentary party leaders. He recalled the build-up of events and the crucial role of parliamentarians in ensuring that the political process is successful. During his visit, Lord Robertson was also able to observe that the 30-day NATO operation, Essential Harvest, is on track. The operation effectively started on 27 August and troops have already seized over 1 200 weapons. In his speech to parliamentarians of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1), Lord Robertson explained the importance of quality over quantity. NATO is expecting to collect a variety of weapons including mines, hand grenades, explosives, rounds of ammunition for mortars and other support weapons, and rounds of small arms ammunition, which will all be destroyed. Lord Robertson's visit comes two days after the death of a British soldier whose vehicle was attacked while he was serving in the NATO mission in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1). Additional information:
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