21 September 2001
Transcript: U.S. Supports Follow-on Presence in FYR Macedonia
(Johnson statement to OSCE Permanent Council Sept. 20) (390)
The United States supports a follow-on presence in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia after NATO completes its task of collecting
weapons surrendered by ethnic Albanian rebels, according to David T.
Johnson, head of the U.S. mission to the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe.
Johnson told the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna September 20 that it
is "tremendously important" to answer Macedonian President Boris
Trajkovski's request for such a presence -- which would provide
support for the security of international monitors -- as rapidly as
possible.
Following is a transcript of his remarks:
(begin transcript)
United States Mission to the OSCE
STATEMENT ON THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Delivered by Ambassador David T. Johnson to the Permanent Council
Vienna
September 20, 2001
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, you distributed to us earlier this week a letter from
the Macedonian Foreign Minister requesting an enhancement of the
OSCE's engagement.
We look forward in the coming days working with you, Mr. Chairman,
with other delegations and with the Secretariat's Staff to develop a
plan to respond to this request. We believe it is tremendously
important that we answer this request rapidly.
Our planning will of course be done in close consultation with
officials in Skopje, in order to ensure that needs and proposals are
agreed and understood by all parties. Whatever the size and scope of
the enhanced mission, it must be sufficient to ensure that the tasks
we undertake can be done properly and well. We owe this to the people
who live in Macedonia, to the staff we will send to the field, and to
ourselves.
The United States supports a NATO follow-on presence, which would
provide support for the security of international monitors in
Macedonia, as has been requested by President Trajkovski.
I would urge all of my colleagues to conclude their consultations with
their capitals now on the task that lies ahead, and in particular, to
identify personnel immediately for an enhanced mission. Important
decisions will have to be taken in the very short term so that we can
do our part to help the people of Macedonia move forward with the very
important task of restoring peace, calm, order and confidence.
Thank you.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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