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MOS01-20010824-KIEV,
UKRAINE: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R)
shakes hands with his Mecedonian counterpart Boris Trajklovski (L)
during their meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, 24 August, 2001. Trajkovski arrived
Thursday in Kiev for talks with two of his main backers in the ethnic crisis in
his country as NATO troops poured into Macedonia on a crucial arms collection
mission. Trajkovski has scheduled meetings with the presidents of Russia and
Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Leonid Kuchma, who have both supported Skopje in its
conflict with ethnic Albanian rebels, the latter with substantial supplies of
weapons. Vladimir Putin said on Friday, that the confrontation on the Balkans is
with "terrorists, not insurgent" and that "international community must not let
itself to be led into confusion and misconception that political questions can
be solved with the help of weapons". ITAR-TASS
Balkan crisis cannot be settled “only with declarations or with imitation of actions”, the Russian President supposes. “If we really want to solve this problem, first of all we have to think about blocking channels through which weapon is being supplied to this region”, Vladimir Putin said after meeting with the President of Macedonia.
According to Russian position, forces could be used in international affairs only by UNO Security Council’s decision.
At the same time, collecting arms in the Balkans is “the problem which has reached its crisis point and must be solved immediately”, that is why we support international community’s efforts directed to settling this issue”, the President of Russia said.
“Not rebels, but real terrorists are resisting us. They are people with aggressive aspirations, whose true aims are not to solve humanitarian issues, in particular that one of the language, but political aims – reshaping borders in Europe”, Putin stressed as quoted by RIA ‘Novosti’.
According to Russian State’s head, “international community should understand it and not allow to somebody to mislead it with presenting new reasons for solving political issues with weapon”.
Russia supposes, the issue of the Balkans and of Macedonia could be solved, if interests of all nations, including Albanians, will be satisfied.
Though people, who try to solve political issues with help of weapon should understand, feel and realize that they will be opposed not by an imitation of force, but with real activities”, the president said.
Russia “without any doubt supports Macedonian president’s efforts directed to fight against terrorists” and to just settlement of today’s troubles, Putin noticed.
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski told RIA Novosti after the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday: "Our opinions and diagnoses coincide. The crisis will go on for several years." Mr. Trajkovski mentioned that the two presidents have come to the same conclusion that "they should approach the United Nations with this issue if they fail to solve it." Mr. Trajkovski emphasized Russia's role in helping Macedonia in solving the crisis. He expressed his hope that Moscow and Skopje will "help uniting Europe" in the future.
The Macedonian president stressed that his meeting with the Russian president is extremely important. "Our assessments coincide. Both President Putin and I think that the source of problems in the region is Kosovo which continues to be a region's bleeding spot." After the meeting, the two presidents went to see the parade dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence in Mr. Putin's car.
The crisis in the Balkans cannot be dealt with "by mere declarations or by imitating actions," believes the President of Russia. "If we really want to tackle that problems we should above all think of sealing off the channels through which arms are supplied to the region," said Vladimir Putin replying to a question on the results of his meeting with the President of Macedonia. Russia considers the use of force in international affairs possible only at the UN Security Council's decision.
At the same time, disarming the terrorists in the Balkans is a problem that has long been ripe and one that has to be tackled. That is why we support the efforts of the international community in settling that issue, said the president of Russia.
"We are facing terrorists, and not some rebels. They are people with aggressive strivings, whose true goal is not to settle humanitarian problems and, in particular, language problems, but political ones, i.e., the re-carving of Europe's borders," stressed Putin. President Putin said that "the international community must realize this and not allow us to be deluded, when presented with ever new pretexts for settling political problems with the help of arms." Russia believes that the problem in the Balkans and in Macedonia, in particular, could be dealt with, provided the interests of all nations, including the Albanian population, are satisfied.
"But the people who are trying to settle political problems with the help of arms must understand, feel and realize that they will come to face not an imitation of force, but real actions," stressed the President. No doubt, Russia supports the efforts of the President of Macedonia in the struggle against terrorists and the just resolution of the problems that exist in the country, pointed out Vladimir Putin.
The crisis in the Balkans cannot be solved by "declarations and actions simulation," the Russian President believes.
Speaking about the results of his meeting with the Macedonian President, Vladimir Putin stated that "if we really wanted to solve this problem the first thing we had to deal with was the ways to cut the supply sources of weapons and ammunition into the region."
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski believes that "regardless of KFOR presence, Kosovo is an exporter of terrorism." Mr. Trajkovski expressed this opinion at the outset of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Mr. Putin's residence in Kiev. Mr. Trajkovski also mentioned that the main reason for the complicated situation in the region "is the Kosovo problem" and the lack of implementation of the UN resolution 1244.
The Macedonian president "fully supports" the Russian initiative to bring together a regional conference that will "confirm the effective borders and preserve human rights in the region." This is the only way to end the crisis in the region. Mr. Trajkovski said that "now is a good time for Russia and Macedonia to jointly solve the global problem" in the Balkans. He stressed that Russian and Macedonian approaches "coincide completely" on issues of safety and security in the region as a whole.
President Putin said that he was very happy to have gotten a chance to meet once again with the Macedonian president and exchange opinions and information. He was glad to be able to hear Mr. Trajkovski's take on the events in Macedonia and the Balkans in general. "I think that we will use the today's meeting to discuss less urgent issues of Russian-Macedonian relations as well," Mr. Putin said.
Mr. Trajkovski thanked Mr. Putin for the meeting, which, in his opinion, "is held in a significant moment" for Macedonia. He also expressed his gratitude to Russia for "its adherence to its principles" that it has stood by from the time when it recognized Macedonia's independence. He was especially thankful for Russia's role in solving issues of the crisis situation in the region.
http://english.pravda.ru/yougoslavia/2001/08/24/13240.html
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