Transcript: Powell Pledges U.S. Solidarity with FYR Macedonia

(Press remarks following meeting with President Trajkovski) (1150)

Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters May 1 in Washington that he reaffirmed U.S. solidarity with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia during his meeting with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski.
    Powell said he also expressed "the United States' total commitment to territorial integrity of Macedonia; our commitment to this democracy which is facing dastardly and cowardly acts from terrorists and terrorist organizations that are trying to subvert the democratic process."
    He said they discussed the steps the Macedonian government is taking to address the concerns of minority ethnic Albanians, and Powell also "made the point ... that we must not allow terrorists to derail political reconciliation."
    The Secretary also expressed condolences for the loss of eight Macedonian soldiers who were killed in an attack by ethnic Albanian extremists April 28.
    Trajkovski vowed that "political dialogue [will] never stop in Macedonia.... My vision is to create a society which will be based on the individuals, not on the ethnic groups ... and that we are going to discuss for the rights of all citizens" in FYR Macedonia.

Following is a transcript of the press availability following their meeting:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
May 1, 2001

REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL AT STAKEOUT FOLLOWING HIS MEETING WITH HIS EXCELLENCY BORIS TRAJKOVSKI, PRESIDENT OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

May 1, 2001
C Street Entrance
Harry S Truman Building

SECRETARY POWELL: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, or good afternoon, as the case may be. It was my great pleasure to host my now good friend, the President of Macedonia. President Trajkovski and I have talked a number of times on the phone, and we've met twice in the last month. He hosted me in Macedonia last month where we had an excellent series of meetings.
    And in our meeting today, I once again had the opportunity to express solidarity with Macedonia; the United States' total commitment to territorial integrity of Macedonia; our commitment to this democracy which is facing dastardly and cowardly acts from terrorists and terrorist organizations that are trying to subvert the democratic process in Macedonia.
    I discussed with the President the steps that he has been taking with the leaders of his coalition government to deal with some of the concerns expressed by ethnic Albanians in Macedonia with respect to the use of their language, universities, with respect to other issues that I congratulated the President on moving aggressively to deal with, to include political reconciliation in all its forms, including possible constitutional amendments at some point in the future.
    I made the point to the President that we must not allow terrorists to derail political reconciliation. As long as we keep moving in this direction, we will dry up the support that terrorists might think they enjoy. And I also discussed with the President other things that the United States can do to support them, not only in security issues but as well as economic support that they need during this difficult time.
    And I expressed my condolence and the condolence of the American people to the families of the eight Macedonian soldiers who lost their lives as a result of this terrorist act.
    So, Mr. President, it is a great pleasure to welcome you here and is a great pleasure to have had a chance to exchange views. And I know that President Bush is looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Sir.

PRESIDENT TRAJKOVSKY: It was a good opportunity to discuss with Secretary Powell, and we discussed about Macedonia, the recent events in Macedonia, and about also the original situation in general.
    I [gave] thanks to the Secretary for expressing his condolence to the people of Macedonia and to the families of the killed eight soldiers which being killed over the last weekend. And I thanked for his concern, too.
    First of all, I would like to thank to him that he invite me to pay a visit to the President Bush, also to the Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. And I believe that this is a real demonstration of the commitment on the part of United States in the Republic of Macedonia and the region, and it shows that the United States would like to remain in that part of the region. Also, it shows that the United States would like and is willing to defeat the terrorists, and also to uphold the democracy and the rule of law, and also to support the Republic of Macedonia in everything what we are doing.
    Also, that was a good opportunity to brief -- shortly to brief the Secretary about the political dialogue, what we are doing. And this political dialogue never stop in Macedonia. And I informed the Secretary about my work that I invite on the table all political parties and that my vision is to create a society which will be based on the individuals, not on the ethnic groups -- on the citizens, not on the ethnic groups -- and that we are going to discuss for the rights of all citizens in the Republic of Macedonia. And the principle of these discussions will be the quality of the rights of the citizens, the quality of the rights and responsibilities of the citizens in the country, to discuss for the rights of the men and women, female and male, and regarding their background and religious and political and ideological background.
    Also, we discussed about our economical needs, and we are expecting the United States will contribute to the creating and positive environment in our country during this stake in political dialogue, which is very important. I appreciate very much that the Secretary stated that we have to isolate the terrorists because they are with one intention, not to encourage the political dialogue but to destabilize the country. And we have a joint commitment to fight against them with the political sources.
    And thank you very much once again. And I think that we have and we will count on United States as our friendship and that will remain in that part of the region, especially in the Republic of Macedonia. Thank you.

Q: Mr. Secretary, the violence turned the other way today. Macedonians are now attacking ethnic Albanians. This is not unusual in the Balkans -- ethnic violence. Do you have any comment on that development?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, there is a great deal of frustration in the region. The President and I both talked to this issue, that all sides have to try to solve the problem as part of a political dialogue. Violence -- this is nothing but broken families and casualties. So I know that the President is concerned about this and will do everything he can to ensure that this does not get out of control.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Betreff: Transcript: Powell Pledges U.S. Solidarity with FYR Macedonia
Datum: Tue, 1 May 2001 21:45:23 -0400
Von: US Dept of State Listserv Manager <Listmgr@PD.STATE.GOV>
An: WF-EUROPE@LISTS.STATE.GOV

 
Transcript: Powell Pledges U.S. Solidarity with FYR Macedonia

(Press remarks following meeting with President Trajkovski) (1150)

Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters May 1 in Washington that he reaffirmed U.S. solidarity with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia during his meeting with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski.
    Powell said he also expressed "the United States' total commitment to territorial integrity of Macedonia; our commitment to this democracy which is facing dastardly and cowardly acts from terrorists and terrorist organizations that are trying to subvert the democratic process."
    He said they discussed the steps the Macedonian government is taking to address the concerns of minority ethnic Albanians, and Powell also "made the point ... that we must not allow terrorists to derail political reconciliation."
    The Secretary also expressed condolences for the loss of eight Macedonian soldiers who were killed in an attack by ethnic Albanian extremists April 28.
    Trajkovski vowed that "political dialogue [will] never stop in Macedonia.... My vision is to create a society which will be based on the individuals, not on the ethnic groups ... and that we are going to discuss for the rights of all citizens" in FYR Macedonia.

Following is a transcript of the press availability following their meeting:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
May 1, 2001

REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL AT STAKEOUT FOLLOWING HIS MEETING WITH HIS EXCELLENCY BORIS TRAJKOVSKI, PRESIDENT OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

May 1, 2001
C Street Entrance
Harry S Truman Building

SECRETARY POWELL: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, or good afternoon, as the case may be. It was my great pleasure to host my now good friend, the President of Macedonia. President Trajkovski and I have talked a number of times on the phone, and we've met twice in the last month. He hosted me in Macedonia last month where we had an excellent series of meetings.
    And in our meeting today, I once again had the opportunity to express solidarity with Macedonia; the United States' total commitment to territorial integrity of Macedonia; our commitment to this democracy which is facing dastardly and cowardly acts from terrorists and terrorist organizations that are trying to subvert the democratic process in Macedonia.
    I discussed with the President the steps that he has been taking with the leaders of his coalition government to deal with some of the concerns expressed by ethnic Albanians in Macedonia with respect to the use of their language, universities, with respect to other issues that I congratulated the President on moving aggressively to deal with, to include political reconciliation in all its forms, including possible constitutional amendments at some point in the future.
    I made the point to the President that we must not allow terrorists to derail political reconciliation. As long as we keep moving in this direction, we will dry up the support that terrorists might think they enjoy. And I also discussed with the President other things that the United States can do to support them, not only in security issues but as well as economic support that they need during this difficult time.
    And I expressed my condolence and the condolence of the American people to the families of the eight Macedonian soldiers who lost their lives as a result of this terrorist act.
    So, Mr. President, it is a great pleasure to welcome you here and is a great pleasure to have had a chance to exchange views. And I know that President Bush is looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Sir.

PRESIDENT TRAJKOVSKY: It was a good opportunity to discuss with Secretary Powell, and we discussed about Macedonia, the recent events in Macedonia, and about also the original situation in general.
    I [gave] thanks to the Secretary for expressing his condolence to the people of Macedonia and to the families of the killed eight soldiers which being killed over the last weekend. And I thanked for his concern, too.
    First of all, I would like to thank to him that he invite me to pay a visit to the President Bush, also to the Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. And I believe that this is a real demonstration of the commitment on the part of United States in the Republic of Macedonia and the region, and it shows that the United States would like to remain in that part of the region. Also, it shows that the United States would like and is willing to defeat the terrorists, and also to uphold the democracy and the rule of law, and also to support the Republic of Macedonia in everything what we are doing.
    Also, that was a good opportunity to brief -- shortly to brief the Secretary about the political dialogue, what we are doing. And this political dialogue never stop in Macedonia. And I informed the Secretary about my work that I invite on the table all political parties and that my vision is to create a society which will be based on the individuals, not on the ethnic groups -- on the citizens, not on the ethnic groups -- and that we are going to discuss for the rights of all citizens in the Republic of Macedonia. And the principle of these discussions will be the quality of the rights of the citizens, the quality of the rights and responsibilities of the citizens in the country, to discuss for the rights of the men and women, female and male, and regarding their background and religious and political and ideological background.
    Also, we discussed about our economical needs, and we are expecting the United States will contribute to the creating and positive environment in our country during this stake in political dialogue, which is very important. I appreciate very much that the Secretary stated that we have to isolate the terrorists because they are with one intention, not to encourage the political dialogue but to destabilize the country. And we have a joint commitment to fight against them with the political sources.
    And thank you very much once again. And I think that we have and we will count on United States as our friendship and that will remain in that part of the region, especially in the Republic of Macedonia. Thank you.

Q: Mr. Secretary, the violence turned the other way today. Macedonians are now attacking ethnic Albanians. This is not unusual in the Balkans -- ethnic violence. Do you have any comment on that development?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, there is a great deal of frustration in the region. The President and I both talked to this issue, that all sides have to try to solve the problem as part of a political dialogue. Violence -- this is nothing but broken families and casualties. So I know that the President is concerned about this and will do everything he can to ensure that this does not get out of control.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
 

Mailsenden