MACEDONIA: PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH ON DETAINEES IN THE

UNCLAS SKOPJE 000851 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL MK SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH ON DETAINEES IN THE WAR ON TERROR REF: STATE 146996 ¶1. (SBU) P/E Chief delivered reftel points on President Bush's September 6 speech on detainees in the war on terror to MFA State Counselor Milan Spiridonovski on September 7. Spiridonovski appreciated the briefing and said he understood the need to ensure vital security information was quickly obtained from such detainees. Given past local media coverage of allegations that Macedonia had hosted secret CIA prisons (which has not reappeared for several months), Spiridonovski said the MFA would adopt a low profile approach to any local coverage of President Bush's speech. However, he and his MFA colleagues would prepare contingency Qs and As based on the materials provided in the reftel talking points. ¶2. (SBU) Post also is taking a low profile approach regarding local media coverage of the President's speech. To date, there has been straightforward reporting on the speech, but no/no press commentary. One local TV station broadcast on September 7 focused exclusively on EU members' perspectives on the speech and on renewed calls on EU members to reveal their roles in any secret prison arrangements. MILOVANOVIC