Bush Praises Macedonia's Implementation of Peace Agreement
26 October 2005
Tells Prime Minister Buckovski bilateral relations have "never been closer"
President Bush praised Macedonia’s progress in implementing the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement and told visiting Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski that U.S.-Macedonian bilateral relations have "never been closer."
Speaking with Buckovski at the White House October 26, Bush said the success of the Ohrid agreement "showed the world that it's possible for people of different backgrounds to live together in peace."
The agreement ended fighting between Macedonian security forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents and laid out a legal-political action plan for the creation of a stable, multiethnic country with a strong civil society that respects the ethnic identity and interests of all Macedonian citizens.
Bush described Buckovski as a "steadfast ally," and thanked him for Macedonia’s efforts in the war on terrorism and its commitment of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The prime minister said, “We are proud to have our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and … intend to stay there as long as it is needed."
Buckovski reiterated Macedonia's desire to join NATO and the European Union (EU), and said Macedonia would "play a positive and constructive role in the Balkans" and lead the international community in negotiating the "eventual permanent status of Kosovo."
The issue of Macedonia’s entry into NATO and the EU has come up recently for another member of the Bush administration. Under Secretary of State R. Nicholas Burns told the Macedonian newspaper Utrinski Vesnik on October 13 that the United Statessees Macedonia as “a serious candidate for NATO membership.” (See related article.)
“We very much want Macedonia to strengthen itself -- economically, politically, militarily -- and we want Macedonia to be eligible for European Union membership as well as NATO,” said Burns, who was in Kosovo at the time.
Burns also was asked about Macedonia’s dispute with Greece over its name, the use of which Greece objects to because it is also the name of the Greek province of Macedonia.
The United States supports the efforts of U.N. mediator Matthew Nimetz to help the two countries find common ground, Burns said, but the United States does not have a position on Nimetz’s proposals.
He also said it would be a “shame” if Greece used its veto power in NATO and the EU against Macedonia’s membership because of disagreements over Macedonia’s name. “We wouldn't like an issue like this to interfere. And that's why we want the issue to be resolved. We hope Greece and Macedonia can find a good solution,” Burns said.
In an October 26 interview by telephone with reporter Nikos Konstandaras of Kathimerini, Greece, Burns – speaking from New Delhi -- further explained the U.S. point of view. “I think it's clear that the Greek government does not want to block Macedonia's entry into NATO or the European Union,” he said. “The argument is not over the entry in NATO or the European Union; the argument is over the name of the country.”
“It would be a shame if these problems were not resolved at some point in the future. We believe they can be resolved,” Burns said.
Following is the transcript of remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Buckovski:
(begin transcript)
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
October 26, 2005
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH
AND MACEDONIAN PRIME MINISTER BUCKOVSKI
IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
The Oval Office
2:46 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: It's been my honor to welcome the Prime Minister of Macedonia to the Oval Office. Prime Minister, I am grateful for your friendship. I am grateful for the strong support that you have given in our efforts to win the war on terror. You've been a steadfast ally, and the American people are grateful. I also appreciate the fact that you have committed troops alongside our troops, in some of the world's newest democracies, in Afghanistan and Iraq. I want to thank you for that, as well.
I also appreciate the progress you've made in implementing the Ohrid Agreement. You've showed the world that it's possible for people of different backgrounds to live together in peace. I want to thank you for your leadership. I also compliment you on the progress you've made toward implementing the reforms necessary for consideration in NATO and the EU. I know this is a big concern to you. I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts with me about your country's desire to join NATO and your aspirations for the EU. I appreciate that very much. Thank you for your confidence.
All in all, I'm impressed by your leadership, and welcome you to the Oval Office.
PRIME MINISTER BUCKOVSKI: Thank you, Mr. President. I feel be here in the White House with President Bush and the historic 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Macedonian bilateral relations, which I must say, have never been closer. We have agreed that today Macedonia is a success story in building a stable, multiethnic democracy in the Balkans.
I thanked President Bush for the continued U.S. support of our democracy -- specifically for the U.S. role in the implementation of the Ohrid framework agreement, and to also express the gratitude of the people of Macedonian for U.S. recognition of our constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia.
And I told the President that we are proud to have our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that we intend to stay there as long as it is needed. We highly appreciate the leadership of President Bush and advancing freedom and democracy throughout the world. We have both emphasized the importance of Macedonia's NATO integration and EU candidacy in cementing our progress and helping the region make the final step on the path of the Europe.
And finally, I told President Bush that Macedonia will continue to play a positive and constructive role in the Balkans, especially now, when Belgrade and Pristina, together, lead the international community, will start negotiation about eventual permanent status of Kosovo.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you. Appreciate you.
END 2:49 P.M. EDT
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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