MACEDONIA: GOM PLEDGES CONTINUED FOCUS ON NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000483

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE, USNATO FOR AMBASSADOR NULAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR NATO MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: GOM PLEDGES CONTINUED FOCUS ON NATO
REFORMS

REF: A. STATE 83552

B. SKOPJE 418

C. SKOPJE 476

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

SUMMARY


1. (C) The Ambassador delivered ref A points on NATO
enlargement and required reform steps to Deputy FM Petrov and
National NATO Coordinator Dimitrov on June 19. In response,
Petrov reiterated the GOM's commitment to focusing on NATO
reforms, but noted challenges the government faces in passing
a liberal religious freedom law. He said phase II of
decentralization would begin on time, noted movement toward
improved intelligence oversight and reform, and highlighted
ongoing operations to root out the Macedonian "tobacco mafia"
as evidence of the GOM's commitment to combating corruption.
Petrov also mentioned a GOM proposal to allow visa-free
travel to Macedonia for Greek citizens as an example of a
confidence-building measure between Skopje and Athens.
Dimitrov added that the GOM would incorporate the reform
measures outlined by the Ambassador in Macedonia's next
Annual National Program, and would seek to demonstrate in the
document the sustainability of the reforms implemented.
Although the GOM continues to state its intent to focus on
NATO reforms, we would like to use the EAPC Security Summit
in Ohrid and FM Milososki's July visit to Washington to help
stiffen Macedonian resolve. Both occasions should also be
used to clarify USG expectations of GOM behavior in relation
to Greece, the name issue, and the 1995 Interim Accord. End
Summary.

NATO ENLARGEMENT AND THE NEED TO FOCUS ON REFORMS


2. (SBU) The Ambassador briefed Deputy FM Petrov and National
NATO Coordinator Dimitrov June 19 on ref A points regarding
the need for the GOM to focus on specific reforms in order
for Macedonia to be prepared for a NATO invitation in 2008.
(NOTE: FM Milososki was unavailable, due to travel out of
country the week of June 18-22.) The Ambassador told DFM
Petrov that the U.S. believes an enlarged NATO will
contribute to regional security and stability, wants
Macedonia to succeed in its NATO membership bid, and wants to
work with the GOM to help it succeed. Contrary to local
media reports after the June 10 meeting in Tirana between the
Adriatic Charter prime ministers and President Bush, however,
there would be no "package approach" to a membership
invitation. NATO would assess the individual performance of
each candidate. The Ambassador added that the reftel points
should not be understood to constitute a "checklist" for
membership, and stressed that all 26 NATO members would have
to decide that they "wanted Macedonia as a member of the
club."

IMPLEMENT POLITICAL AGREEMENT, DECENTRALIZATION, POLICE
REFORMS...


3. (SBU) Noting USG appreciation for Macedonia's military
contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Ambassador pointed
out that there was more to do on other fronts. The
government needed to ensure implementation of the May 29
agreement reached with eAlbanian opposition party DUI (ref
B). It also needed to adopt and implement a strategy on
equitable representation, with clear benchmarks for progress
and a sanctions clause to enforce compliance with the
strategy. Phase II of the decentralization would have to
begin on time, and the government needed to implement the Law
on Police and ensure that ethnically mixed police patrols
were able to patrol in areas where such a presence was
warranted.

...JUDICIAL REFORMS, COMBAT CORRUPTION, NAME DISPUTE,
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM


4. (C) To further strengthen its candidacy, the Ambassador
said, the GOM would have to fully implement the Law on Courts
and the National Strategy for Judicial Reforms, bring several
high-level corruption cases to trial, and ensure political
dialogue between the government and opposition continued on
implementing NATO-required reforms. It was imperative that
Skopje sustain efforts to resolve the name issue through the

SKOPJE 00000483 002 OF 003


UN process, avoiding provocation or responses to perceived
provocation from Athens. It would be necessary to pass a
liberal religious freedom law that met Venice Commission
standards. However, given recent provocative actions in
Macedonia by members of the Serb and Greek Orthodox Churches
(septel),it would be preferable to delay passage of such a
bill if it did not meet Venice Commission standards. Full
restitution for nationalized properties belonging to
religious groups, continued defense reforms, and intelligence
reforms that would ensure the security of classified
information rounded out the list of requirements.

NO SURPRISES, GOVERNMENT FOCUSED ON NATO REFORMS


5. (C) DFM Petrov said the list contained "no surprises." He
noted that most of the items mentioned already were part of
the GOM's governing program. Each government session "begins
with an update on progress on meeting NATO standards," he
said. On the religious freedom law, he pointed out that both
the Islamic Community of Macedonia (ICM) and the Macedonian
Orthodox Church (MOC) opposed a more liberal law that would,
they charged, open the door to radical religious elements.
The positions of both the ICM and MOC, he argued, represented
the views of "98 percent of Macedonia's religious believers."


6. (C) Petrov said implementation of decentralization was
proceeding well, and that some 20 municipalities would
participate in phase II of that process, due to begin July 1.
Phase II of decentralization had been politicized, he said,
but the process would move forward. On the political
dialogue issue, he said that that process already had moved
to Parliament. (NOTE: In fact, the political dialogue is
taking place in the context of DUI's return to Parliament,
but the process itself continues between the two parties to
the May 29 agreement -- VMRO-DPMNE and DUI. END NOTE.)


7. (SBU) The Parliament was engaged in a discussion of
intelligence oversight, Petrov reported. There was a
government proposal already under discussion on reforming the
intelligence services by bringing them under one roof to
enhance operational efficiency. Referring to the
government's anti-corruption efforts, he pointed to an
ongoing operation to root out the "tobacco mafia" in
Macedonia as the main task facing the GOM's organized crime
fighting unit. On defense reforms, Petrov said the Ministry
of Defense had faced difficulties expending its allocated
budget, and suggested the MOD had experienced problems in
properly executing tenders for goods and services.


8. (SBU) Petrov said that the GOM was considering a proposal
to reach out to the Greeks on the name issue, primarily by
deciding to allow Greek citizens to enter Macedonia with just
an id card, rather than a passport. He did not comment on
the issue of avoiding provocative actions or
counter-reactions on the name issue.

INTEGRATING THE LIST OF TASKS INTO MACEDONIA'S NATO ANP


9. (SBU) NATO Coordinator Dimitrov passed on Macedonia's
thanks for the positive message that had come from the June
10 meeting in Tirana between President Bush and the A-3 prime
ministers. He acknowledged that the list of action items
presented by the Ambassador would help the government focus
its efforts, especially as his office worked to prepare
Macedonia's Annual National Program (ANP) for NATO
membership. The ANP, due at the end of summer, would
highlight the country's achievements, as well as the areas in
which it still had work to do. It also would include a
section on tasks to be sustained and completed after/after
the NATO Summit in 2008, to demonstrate that a system was in
place to ensure the sustainability of the government's NATO
reform efforts. Dimitrov said he would share the tasks list
with Prime Minister Gruevski. (NOTE: We also briefed
President Crvenkovski's Chief of Staff on the list on June

20. END NOTE>)

COMMENT


10. (SBU) The GOM continues to talk the talk on NATO reforms;
in some areas, such as anti-TIP efforts, it is walking the
walk. Despite Dimitrov's best intentions and Petrov's
suggestion that the government continues to focus on NATO

SKOPJE 00000483 003 OF 003


reforms, PM Gruevski and his team will need continual
prodding and motivation over the next three months to take
the tough steps required. Things are moving in the right
direction on a number of fronts (ref C),but we would like to
use the upcoming EAPC Summit Macedonia will host in Ohrid,
and FM Milososki's July 10 meeting with the Secretary, to
help stiffen the government's resolve.
MILOVANOVIC