'Makfax' and other FYROM press on the Macedonian issue

[gmellos]

Originally Posted by euro

Greek military exercises not a threat

For more than a month the Greek Army had set up military exercises right next to the FYROM border, in the Lerin region.

The FYROM Minister of Defense says there is no military threat from the Greek Army, however confirms their Army maneuvers are to exert pressure on the name negotiations.
“We don’t have enough information to consider the maneuvers of the Greek Army as a military threat to FYROM. This is a way for them to show force and exert pressure regarding the current negotiations in New York, “ says Zoran Konjanovski, MoD.

“The Army has international political functionality, which means apart from politics it is always good to showcase the military sector” says Trajan Gocevski, former MoD.

The Greek Army has about 240,000 soldiers. It’s not a professional Army, rather it is still mandatory for all citizens, hence the number of soldiers. 18 months military service for the Army, and 24 months for Navy and Air Force.

According to General Risto Damjanovski, Greece frequently does military exercises because of its large army in their attempt to match the Turkish Army.

There is no alarm, however experts say if Greece does not pull its army from the FYROM border, OESC and NATO should be notified.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/2807/1/

Dude you and your people are whiners!!! Greece DOES NOT even worry about you military wise as you wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell!!!!

[kzk842]

The Greek Army has about 240,000 soldiers. It’s not a professional Army, rather it is still mandatory for all citizens, hence the number of soldiers. 18 months military service for the Army, and 24 months for Navy and Air Force.

“We don’t have enough information to consider the maneuvers of the Greek Army as a military threat to FYROM. This is a way for them to show force and exert pressure regarding the current negotiations in New York, “ says Zoran Konjanovski, MoD.

Its a semi-professional Army,where 1/4 of the army are professionals.
12 months military service for the Army,12 for Navy and Air Force.
The exercises that they are talking about is NOT a way "for showing force and exert pressure regarding the current negotiations in New York",that kind of exercises take place in that area at as long as i remember myself, every year or every two years..(τα γνωστά σκοινάκια)

Everything that comes out of this country is a lie or an incorrectness?

[euro]

To Pontiki: Romania paves way for recognition of FYROMacedonian language as being regional or minority in CoE

Athens, August 14 (MIA) - The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs neither found out, nor reacted when grounds were laid in the Council of Europe (CoE) for recognition of the FYROM language as protected regional or minority language in line with Romania's decision to grant such status, Greece-based "To Pontiki" newspaper writes.

On 1 May 2008 Romania joined the CoE European map of regional or minority languages, recognising the existence and necessity of protecting the FYROM language on its territory. Until now, "To Pontiki" reports, FYROM hadn't had the opportunity to raise the issue involving existence and protection of the FYROM minority in CoE members countries, because the basic condition required some of them to recognise the language as regional or minority one as well.

- Greece can claim that the issue on recognising the FYROM language and minority had never existed and will never exist. However, since it was recognised as protected regional minority language in Romania, there's a possibility other Macedonian neighbouring countries to do the same, writes the newspaper.

"To Pontiki" adds that diplomats in Strasbourg claim that in foreseeable future the FYROM language, i.e. FYROM minority who speaks the language, will be recognised by their neighbours and by other states, whereas Greece will remain firm in its positions that there is neither FYROM language nor FYROM minority on its territory.

The issue of the FYROM language and minority in Greece was initiated two years ago by watchdog group Human Right Watch. It suggested the Athens Government to recognise the existence of the FYROM ethnic minority, its language and cultural traditions, to lift the limitations for free expression, to solve the issue involving the FYROM political refugees from Greece and to allow them to return and to obtain Greek citizenship, "To Pontiki" writes.

http://www.idividi.com.mk/English/462211/index.html

[euro]

Rice: Name must not be obstacle for FYROM's entry in NATO

Skopje/Washington /09/08/ 09:14

The name cannot pose as an obstacle to the FYROM 's entry in NATO, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a press conference.

"Our position is that the FYROMacedonians should be admitted in NATO - that was our stance in Bucharest. The hope is that the name dispute can now be resolved very soon. I talked to my Greek colleagues, and the FYROMacedonians were here in the State Department. This is something that should not hamper FYROM 's road to NATO, and that is what we are working on," Rice said.

The State Secretary made a parallel between Georgia and FYROM.

"One of the purposes of the Action Plan for Membership in NATO and finally, the admission in NATO, is to help the countries to overcome the long-standing difficulties, differences and conflicts under auspices of the organization for collective security, i.e. the defense organization of democracies," she said.

Rice reminded that only a few decades ago, when the Soviet Union collapsed, no-one could imagine that the differences between Hungary and Romania or Bulgaria and Turkey will ever be overcome. But, Rice added, it is actually happening under the auspices of NATO.

According to the U.S. State Secretary, the countries across Central and Eastern Europe, like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Baltic Republics, Albania, Croatia and FYROM, have already made or are making transition toward the Trans-Atlantic structures.

"It enables them to not only overcome the differences, but to have a reason and a motive for inner reforms and further democratization," Rice added in the interview with VOA.

http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=121645&NrIssue=738&NrSection=10

[euro]

Nimetz focused on Northern Macedonia

New York /14/08/ 11:34

UN Special Envoy in the dispute between Athens and Skopje over the name, is pushing for the solution to be based on a name that will include the words Northern and FYROM.

At Wednesday's meetings with the negotiators of the two sides in New York, the mediator Nimetz came forward with five versions of this proposal, Greek paper Ethnos cited unofficial sources as saying.

Nimetz said that he discussed with Nikola Dimitrov and Adamantios Vassilakis a series of new ideas, but gave no specific details.

http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=121683&NrIssue=738&NrSection=10

[euro]

Greek citizens are a bit in a pickle after sending and then seeing their letters to FYROM sent back to them. It's the 17th Olympic games between the FYROM and Greek Government.

Greek postal service wont let their citizens write anything other than the acronym as a destination, while FYROM postal service sends back to original sender everything that contains the acronym. Greece is the only country that forces their citizens to use the acronym to send their mail, otherwise the postal service refuses to send the mail.

Though Greek citizens are the loosers in this case, there are certain cases where FYROM citizens struggle to get their important mail. A lady who wished to stay anonymous said she was expecting very important documents from her Greek attoney regarding property in Greece, but she didn't received it.

"My attorney from Thessaloniki called me up and told me, 'guess what, the letter I sent you with the documents, I just got it back'. I mean what is this, now I can't get letters?! I already complained to the FYROM Postal Service, but there was no response from there. This is important documentation, I need to include my property in their Cadastral and the procedure is already in place. This is just needlesly making my job more difficult." says frustrated FYROM citizen.

At the moment this is how it functions. It is fairly simple, actually. Mail from Greece is sent with the acronym, as shown on the image above, FYROM postal service crosses out the acronym, writes 'Greece' underneath, and it goes back to Greece.

As FYROM and Greece perform poorly at the Olympics, we have our own Olympic games with Airlines, Tourists, Postal Services. Lots of medals up for grabs, no need for Beijing and more importantly for the Greek side, no need for steroid use.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/2843/1/

[Ariadni_Nefeli]

This is the acceptable name, take it or leave it, and the Greek State forces NO ONE to write Fyrom, we write it by our selves! Because is someone writes ''macedonia'' it will end up in Greece!

[Truth Bearer]

Severnamakedonija I can live with that!!

[euro]

August 14

Edward Joseph, former representative of the International Crisis Group for the Balkans and currently member of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Transatlantic Relations, recently published his article in the International Herald Tribune, saying the the crisis in Georgia may be compared with the Balkans one and that NATO should now invite FYROM to join in.

BBC: FYROM's accession to NATO would be only Washington's message to Russia, or there is a genuine concern about the situation in the Balkans?

- The crisis in Georgia urges the United States and NATO allies to respond in various ways and send a message. One of them is urgent accessing of FYROM to NATO because of its and the stability of the region.

BBC: But FYROM was not invited to join NATO, What can be done now?

- Rhetoric and anger, however justified, should calm down. It is important now. The Government and media should avoid emotions and work together with US, European powers for progress to be made in this respect. The Greek side should do the same. If FYROM joins NATO and resolve this (the name) problem, lowering of the temperature will only contribute to the settlement.

BBC: What are the chances for the (name) issue to be resolved before the US (presidential) elections?

- I will not speculate. It is important for FYROM to reduce the tensions, appropriately demonstrate its concern about various issues and via diplomatic channels to work with the US, European countries that understand how important it is for FYROM to join NATO and preserve its national identity.

BBC: Your remarks, do they also refer to the Prime Minister's letters, addressed to various institutions?

- My remarks refer to steps that have been taken for the last year, year and a half, including the renaming of the airport. The arguments that we can name the airport as we wish may be understandable, but they do not work in favor of FYROMs interests. FYROM is interested in joining NATO. Naturally the status of FYROM minority in Greece is a legitimate point, but it is questionable whether it works in favor of FYROM foreign interests, contrary to the internal ones. I do not believe it is happening when tensions grow. It does not mean that Greece should be spared from blaming. Greece has set more demands from FYROM after Bucharest, but it is important for FYROM to reduce the tensions, Joseph says in the interview.

http://www.mia.com.mk/portal/page?_pageid=113,166290&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&prikaz=24&VestID=55158975&cat=6

[akritas]

You forget to bold the most interesting parts of this interview....

Originally Posted by euro

- My remarks refer to steps that have been taken for the last year, year and a half, including the renaming of the airport.

Originally Posted by euro

The arguments that we can name the airport as we wish may be understandable, but they do not work in favor of FYROMs interests.

Originally Posted by euro

FYROM is interested in joining NATO. Naturally the status of FYROM minority in Greece is a legitimate point, but it is questionable whether it works in favor of FYROM foreign interests, contrary to the internal ones.

Originally Posted by euro

but it is important for FYROM to reduce the tensions, Joseph says in the interview.

Did you get the message that gave you the American "best man" ?