Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SKOPJE231
2008-03-27 06:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:  

CODEL PRICE'S MACEDONIA MEETINGS

Tags:  OREP OVIP KDEM PGOV PREL MK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5754
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSQ #0231/01 0870639
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270639Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7211
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0263
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7212
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000231 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP OVIP KDEM PGOV PREL MK
SUBJECT: CODEL PRICE'S MACEDONIA MEETINGS


Summary
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000231

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP OVIP KDEM PGOV PREL MK
SUBJECT: CODEL PRICE'S MACEDONIA MEETINGS


Summary
--------------

1. (SBU) CODEL Price visited Macedonia March 15 to 18.
CODEL members met with parliamentary leaders to advise on
effective parliamentary procedures. The CODEL also met with
President Crvenkovski, Prime Minister Gruevski, Foreign
Minister Milososki, and Defense Minister Elenovski to discuss
Macedonia's NATO prospects, the status of the name
negotiation with Greece, and Macedonia's intention to
recognize Kosovo independence. Crvenkovski and Gruevski both
said that Macedonia had met NATO membership requirements and
that the GOM remained willing to reach a compromise with
Greece on the name. Crvenkovski said that Macedonia would
follow NATO and the EU on Kosovo recognition, while Gruevski
indicated that Kosovo recognition would come after the
process of demarcating the border with Kosovo began. End
summary.
.
CODEL Participants
--------------

2. (U) Hon David Price, HDAC Chairman (D-NC)
Hon David Dreier, Ranking Republican Member (R-CA)
Hon. Lois Capps (D-CA)
Hon. Judy Biggert (R-IL)
Hon. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD
Hon. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)
Hon. Adam Schiff (D-CA)


Supporting A More Effective Parliament
--------------

3. (U) In their meetings with the Macedonian
parliamentarians, the CODEL members provided advice on three
main areas: constituent outreach and communication,
parliamentary committee work and oversight, and women
parliamentary leadership and the work of parliamentary
caucuses. The Members of Congress and the Congressional
Staff shared their experience and practical ideas in each of
these areas. The participants also discussed how to
implement a legislative strategy, including the drafting,
lobbying and monitoring of legislation. The discussions were
well received by local MPs and their staffs.

NATO Membership And The Name Negotiation
--------------

4. (SBU) The CODEL members met with President Crvenkovski
and with Prime Minister Gruevski and Foreign Minister
Milososki, and Defense Minister Elenovski on March 18. All
Macedonian interlocutors stressed the importance of NATO

membership for Macedonia, and their desire to reach a
solution with Greece on Macedonia's name before the upcoming
NATO summit. Crvenkovski said that the GOM remained willing
to reach a compromise on a name for international use, but
could not accept any proposal that would destabilize the
country by undermining the national identity of its citizens.
Gruevski complained that Greece was "misusing" its NATO
membership to "blackmail" Macedonia, while the other allies,
except for the U.S., were tacitly accepting Greece's
behavior.


5. (SBU) Representative Dreier asked Gruevski what he
expected would happen in Macedonia if the name issue
prevented Macedonia from receiving a NATO invitation.
Gruevski said that there would be great anger and frustration
among Macedonians and that regional radical elements would be
emboldened, but that Macedonia would still succeed in moving
forward. Milososki said that NATO membership for Croatia,
Albania and Macedonia would support regional stability and
added: "the more Balkan countries in NATO, the less NATO in
the Balkans; the less NATO in the Balkans, the more NATO in
Afghanistan."

Kosovo Status - Recognition Timing
--------------

6. (SBU) On Kosovo status, Crvenkovski said that Macedonia
would follow the common NATO and EU position on recognition,
but noted that there was no common position so far. Skopje,
according to Crvenkovski, had to try to balance relations
between Pristina and Belgrade, and would make decisions based
on its interest in maintaining that balance. Crvenkovski also
expressed concern about developments in northern Kosovo,
which he said appeared to be amounting to de facto partition.
Gruevski expressed hope that Macedonia-Kosovo border

SKOPJE 00000231 002 OF 002


demarcation would start soon. He did not want "a technical
issue to become a political one." Once the demarcation
process began, Gruevski said, Macedonia "could be more
helpful on recognition of Kosovo."

Relations With Russia
--------------

7. (SBU) Schiff asked Crvenkovski about Macedonia's relations
with Russia. Crvenkovski said Skopje did not feel pressure
from Moscow. Russia had economic interests in Macedonia and
the region, but lacked political-military clout. Crvenkovski
added that Skopje did not fear an adverse reaction from
Moscow if Macedonia received a NATO invitation at the
Bucharest summit.

Progress on Gender Balance in Politics
--------------

8. (U) Capps noted the progress Macedonia has made in
increasing representation of women in parliament. Crvenkovski
said that the GOM was proud of that progress, which was due
in part to strong civil society involvement in gender issues.
Gruevski noted that Macedonia has strong representation of
women in the executive branch, with three important cabinet
posts filled by women: the Minister of Interior, Minister of
Economy, and Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration.


9. (U) CODEL Price has cleared on this cable.
MILOVANOVIC