Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SKOPJE880
2006-09-18 13:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:  

MACEDONIA: GOM LEADERSHIP ON NATO MEMBERSHIP,

Tags:  PREL PGOV MK 
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PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSQ #0880/01 2611334
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181334Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5167
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2057
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000880 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: GOM LEADERSHIP ON NATO MEMBERSHIP,
KOSOVO STATUS, NAME ISSUE, AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM


Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(B) & (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000880

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: GOM LEADERSHIP ON NATO MEMBERSHIP,
KOSOVO STATUS, NAME ISSUE, AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM


Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(B) & (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. In separate calls on PM Gruevski and FM
Milososki September 15, the Ambassador urged the GOM to move
quickly to implement NATO membership reforms, show concrete
anti-corruption results, and restart political dialogue with
the ethnic Albanian opposition. She restated the USG
position on including resolution of the border demarcation
issue in a Kosovo final status settlement, and urged the GOM
to take a constructive approach on the name dispute with
Greece. The Ambassador also pushed Gruevski for a more
liberal religious freedom law, and cautioned against
wholesale changes in the ranks of public administration
professionals.


2. (C) Summary continued. Gruevski said he would lead
interagency coordination on Macedonia's NATO membership bid,
while Milososki underscored the GOM's commitment to showing
concrete results in the fight against corruption. Both
blamed ethnic Albanian opposition party DUI for the current
political impasse, but Milososki said the government would
work to build "bridges of cooperation" with DUI. On Kosovo,
Gruevski said he would meet with PM Ceku September 19 to
strengthen ties with Pristina, and Milososki reiterated the
government's stance that border demarcation is a technical
issue. Both said the government would stick to its policy of
no further public statements on the name dispute, while
Milososki highlighted close business and municipal
cooperation ties with Greece. Gruevski indicated he would
hold off on submitting to parliament a draft law on religious
communities until his staff had studied EU standards for
religious freedom, but noted strong pressure from the
Macedonian Orthodox Church and Islamic Community to pass the
existing draft law, which would restrict registration of
other religious groups. End Summary.

INITIAL COURTESY CALLS ON PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER


3. (U) Ambassador made separate initial courtesy calls on PM
Gruevski and FM Milososki September 15. PM Gruevski was
accompanied by his Chief of Cabinet, Martin Protogjer.

Milososki was joined by State Secretary Igor Ilievski, Chief
of Cabinet Cornelia Utevska, and State Counselor Milan
Spirodonovski. DCM and P/E Chief (notetaker) accompanied
Ambassador.

NATO MEMBERSHIP -- TIME IS SHORT, GET TO WORK!


4. (U) Ambassador told both Gruevski and Milososki that a
successful bid to present the strongest possible candidacy
for NATO membership in 2008 also would send a positive signal
regarding Macedonia's EU prospects. There was much work to
be done and time was of the essence. The GOM had about a
year to demonstrate it was in a strong position to be
considered for NATO membership.


5. (SBU) PM Gruevski reaffirmed his commitment to leading the
NATO membership effort. He would head an interagency team
comprised of the Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and the
NATO Membership Coordinator. Other members would include the
Finance Minister, Minister of Interior, and others as
required.


6. (C) FM Milososki underscored the importance of showing
results in the fight against corruption as one of Macedonia's
NATO membership requirements. The GOM wanted to "show more
than a rhetorical commitment" to combating corruption, with a
public prosecutor's office capable of tackling tough,
high-profile cases. The government would not engage in
"revanchisme" against the previous government in pursuing
corruption cases.


7. (SBU) Regarding the upcoming Riga Summit, Milososki said
the GOM hoped for an encouraging message in the final summit
communiqu that would not differentiate among the A-3
(Adriatic Charter) countries. He reiterated the GOM's
commitment to continuing its support for peace operations in
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Ambassador
responded that the A-3 countries would be assessed for
membership individually, and on the basis of performance.

REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO RESTART POLITICAL DIALOGUE WITH ALBANIAN

SKOPJE 00000880 002 OF 003


OPPOSITION


8. (C) The Ambassador noted concerns in Washington and
Brussels, which we shared, regarding the poor state of the
government's relations with the major ethnic Albanian
opposition party, DUI. The GOM needed to demonstrate
generosity, understanding, and flexibility in trying to
re-engage DUI in political dialogue. The Embassy was willing
to facilitate and support that process. It was important for
the government to succeed in that effort, and to limit
communications with DUI to private channels.


9. (C) Gruevski complained that he had been able to meet with
all the opposition parties except DUI to discuss their
concerns. He noted that he had first tried to establish
contact with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti through private channels.
When Ahmeti did not respond, he had publicly called for a
one-on-one meeting. Ahmeti had countered with a public
proposal for the two to meet in Sipkovica, once the site
during the 2001 conflict of the HQs of the National
Liberation Army, which Ahmeti had led. That venue was
politically untenable, Gruevski said. He had countered with
a public offer to meet in Skopje, which Ahmeti had refused.


10. (C) Milososki said Gruevski had tried early on to bring
DUI into government, together with the smaller ethnic
Albanian party DPA. He asserted that DUI's insistence on
keeping DPA out of the government, however, and its
"unrealistic" political demands, "rhetorical blackmail," and
image as a party involved in corrupt activities, made that
attempt a "mission impossible." Nevertheless, the government
wanted to build "bridges of cooperation" with DUI,
especially through the Ministry of Local Self-Government's
work with DUI-controlled municipalities.

KOSOVO STATUS -- KEEPING DEMARCATION OFF THE FRONT BURNER


11. (SBU) The Ambassador restated our position on border
demarcation and said we would push for including resolution
of the matter in any Kosovo final status agreement. In the
meantime, it would be useful for the GOM to continue previous
efforts to strengthen ties with Pristina.


12. (SBU) Gruevski agreed, noting that he planned to meet PM
Ceku in Skopje on September 19. He also was trying to
arrange meetings with Albanian leaders and other leaders in
neighboring countries to strengthen regional ties. He hoped
to visit the U.S. next year. In his meeting, Milososki said
that the GOM wanted to keep demarcation "a technical issue,"
and to keep it off the front burner as a Macedonian policy
priority.

NAME ISSUE -- MACEDONIA COMMITTED TO UN PROCESS


13. (C) Ambassador told Gruevski that, with Greek local
elections approaching, it was unlikely there would be any
movement soon in the UN talks on the name dispute. In the
meantime, it would be prudent to avoid provocative
statements.


14. (C) Gruevski acknowledged that, shortly after he assumed
office, Macedonian journalists had tried to pin him down on
the name issue, even though they already knew his position on
the matter. He initially had responded, but quickly decided
there was no further need to discuss the dispute in public.


15. (C) Milososki said the GOM had decided to restate
Macedonia's position on the name, and to then avoid further
public discussion of the matter. The government would try to
find a compromise solution through the UN negotiations
process, but resolving the issue was likely to take time. He
noted Macedonia's excellent bilateral trade and commercial
ties with Greece, as well as extensive cross-border
cooperation between Macedonian and Greek municipalities.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM -- PUSH FOR BROADER LIBERTIES


16. (U) The Ambassador noted the September 15 release of the
annual International Religious Freedom report. She urged the
GOM to continue efforts to resolve the status of an Orthodox
priest recognized by the Serb Orthodox Church as Bishop Jovan
of Ohrid, but considered a schismatic by the Macedonian

SKOPJE 00000880 003 OF 003


Orthodox Church (MOC). Citing strong US congressional
interest, the Ambassador said it also was important to ensure
the draft law on religious communities and groups allowed the
broadest possible religious freedoms, including the right of
more than one group per confession to register.


17. (C) Gruevski said he recently had met with the
representatives of Macedonia's five established religious
communities (MOC, Islamic Community/ICM, Catholic Church,
Jewish Community, and Methodist Church) and they fully
supported the draft law. They had indicated they would fight
amendments to the law making it easier for other groups to
register. Citing the MOC's high poll ratings, and the ICM's
argument that liberalizing registration criteria would allow
"Islamic radicals" to enter Macedonia, Gruevski said it would
be difficult to oppose those communities. He asked whether
he should try to move the current draft law forward.


18. (C) The Ambassador advised against trying to pass the
draft law in its current form. She noted that the ICM
argument failed to account for the fact that Islamic radical
groups already could, and did, enter Macedonia simply by
registering as NGOs.


19. (C) Gruevski agreed, and said he would ask his staff to
analyze religious freedom laws from other EU countries for
applicable lessons. Milososki said he understood the US
approach to religious freedom, having seen the diversity of
religious institutions in the U.S. while visiting his
brother, who lives in Chicago. However, churches in the
Balkans had long served as "cradles of nationalism." Any
approach to changing Balkan religious freedom standards had
to take that fact into account.

AVOIDING WHOLESALE CHANGES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION


20. (SBU) The Ambassador also expressed concerns over reports
that public administration professionals, including some who
had been trained at USG expense, were being moved around or
demoted in the Ministry of Interior and other ministries.
That did not bode well for efforts to professionalize the
public administration; the USG strongly opposed wholesale
changes in the administration at the mid and working levels
in particular. Gruevski tried to defend the reassignments by
arguing that, even when professionals were moved out of their
previous positions, those slots were subsequently filled with
trained professionals.

COMMENT


21. (C) Gruevski and Milososki understand the need to move
quickly to fulfill NATO membership requirements, including
the need to show results in the fight against corruption.
They will be hampered in that effort, however, if they fail
to muster the creativity and leadership needed to resolve the
festering dispute with the opposition, leaving it to absorb
the leadership's time and energy and casting Macedonia in a
negative light abroad.


22. (C) The GOM has taken adopted constructive stances on
Kosovo border demarcation and the name dispute, recognizing
the need to keep both issues off the front burner and out of
the media. On Kosovo, it will be important for the USG to
ensure the Contact Group includes resolution of the
demarcation issue in a final status settlement.
MILOVANOVIC