Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SKOPJE255
2006-03-16 17:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA: STRONG BUT MEASURED REACTION TO
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SKOPJE 000255
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: STRONG BUT MEASURED REACTION TO
ALBANIAN FM MUSTAFAJ STATEMENT ON BORDERS
REF: TIRANA 276
Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(B) & (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SKOPJE 000255
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: STRONG BUT MEASURED REACTION TO
ALBANIAN FM MUSTAFAJ STATEMENT ON BORDERS
REF: TIRANA 276
Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(B) & (D).
1. (U) Macedonian government reaction to Albanian FM
Mustafaj's March 13 statement on Albanian Alsat TV that
Albania could not guarantee inviolability of borders with
Kosovo or Macedonia "if division of Kosovo takes place"
(reftel) has been strong but measured. MFA State Counselor
Milan Spiridonovski told us the Ministry is "concerned" about
the statement, and said that FM Mitreva discussed the matter
by telephone with FM Mustafaj on March 15.
2. (C) The Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Aleks
Matovski, told us March 16 that the government considered the
statement "unfortunate and ill-advised," considering the good
bilateral cooperation the countries have enjoyed over the
past several years. Matovski said he hoped the statement had
been made intentionally, and that the Albanian government
would issue a public clarification. The GOM would not
overreact to the statement, he said, and the incident would
not cause lasting damage to bilateral relations.
3. (U) The local press quoted MFA sources as saying that
Mustafaj told Mitreva during their March 15 phone
conversation that his statement had been misinterpreted and
taken out of context. PM Buckovski reportedly also told the
media that Mustafaj's comment had been taken out of context.
Ethnic Albanian DUI (governing coalition junior partner) and
DPA (opposition) told us they had no comment on Mustafaj's
statement. Opposition VMRO-DPMNE said the statement was
ill-considered and undermined "international legal principles
regarding the non-changeability of state borders."
4. (C) Comment: We appreciate Ambassador Ries's approach to
Mustafaj on this issue (reftel),and fully support her
message that such statements are ill-placed in the context of
the final status process. Such statements also feed ethnic
Macedonian suspicions that their ethnic Albanian compatriots
harbor the notion of an eventual union with Albania and
Kosovo. We believe a public restatement by the Contact Group
of its guiding principles regarding "no changes in borders,
and no partition of Kosovo or union with another country or
part of a country" could help calm the waters here and
reassure Macedonians that the international community stands
firmly behind the country's territorial integrity.
MILOVANOVIC
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: STRONG BUT MEASURED REACTION TO
ALBANIAN FM MUSTAFAJ STATEMENT ON BORDERS
REF: TIRANA 276
Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(B) & (D).
1. (U) Macedonian government reaction to Albanian FM
Mustafaj's March 13 statement on Albanian Alsat TV that
Albania could not guarantee inviolability of borders with
Kosovo or Macedonia "if division of Kosovo takes place"
(reftel) has been strong but measured. MFA State Counselor
Milan Spiridonovski told us the Ministry is "concerned" about
the statement, and said that FM Mitreva discussed the matter
by telephone with FM Mustafaj on March 15.
2. (C) The Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Aleks
Matovski, told us March 16 that the government considered the
statement "unfortunate and ill-advised," considering the good
bilateral cooperation the countries have enjoyed over the
past several years. Matovski said he hoped the statement had
been made intentionally, and that the Albanian government
would issue a public clarification. The GOM would not
overreact to the statement, he said, and the incident would
not cause lasting damage to bilateral relations.
3. (U) The local press quoted MFA sources as saying that
Mustafaj told Mitreva during their March 15 phone
conversation that his statement had been misinterpreted and
taken out of context. PM Buckovski reportedly also told the
media that Mustafaj's comment had been taken out of context.
Ethnic Albanian DUI (governing coalition junior partner) and
DPA (opposition) told us they had no comment on Mustafaj's
statement. Opposition VMRO-DPMNE said the statement was
ill-considered and undermined "international legal principles
regarding the non-changeability of state borders."
4. (C) Comment: We appreciate Ambassador Ries's approach to
Mustafaj on this issue (reftel),and fully support her
message that such statements are ill-placed in the context of
the final status process. Such statements also feed ethnic
Macedonian suspicions that their ethnic Albanian compatriots
harbor the notion of an eventual union with Albania and
Kosovo. We believe a public restatement by the Contact Group
of its guiding principles regarding "no changes in borders,
and no partition of Kosovo or union with another country or
part of a country" could help calm the waters here and
reassure Macedonians that the international community stands
firmly behind the country's territorial integrity.
MILOVANOVIC