Tripoint between Macedonia, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria
Yesterday, November 24 was held official ceremony for installing the
tripoint and starting of demarcation of the border Republic of Macedonia and
FR Yugoslavia.
Koordinats:
B 42.18.40
L 22.21.37
Regards,
Mile Milenkoski
MIA NEWS AGENCY:
TRILATERAL MEETING OF MACEDONIAN, YUGOSLAV AND BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
Skopje, November 24 (MIA) - Today's placement of the borderstone marking the
border between Macedonia, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria marks the first step in
the implementation of the Agreement for description of the borderline
between Macedonia and the FR Yugoslavia, Macedonian Foreign Minister Ilinka
Mitreva said at the joint press conference with her Yugoslav and Bulgarian
counterparts, Goran Svilanovic and Solomon Pasi.
Mitreva reported that due to the implementation of the Agreement, mixed
Macedonian-Yugoslav commissions have been established who work on the
physical demarcation of the border.
The Macedonian Foreign Minister said that the trilateral meeting was focused
on the negotiations that started in Skopje during the CEI Summit on the
possibilities for enhancement of the regional cooperation, which is on the
priority list of all three foreign ministers.
"We need to send out a message that the Balkans is not longer a place where
the cooperation should be brought by force, but a place where the regional
cooperation is essential for the future Euro-Atlantic integration of the
countries in the region," she said.
She congratulated to her Bulgarian counterpart Pasi for the invitation that
his country received to join NATO, adding that it would also help the
integration of all countries from the region in the Euro-Atlantic
structures.
"We believe that the borders in the Balkans ought to remain open for
communication, but should remain closed for the organized crime. This can be
achieved only through strong inter-governmental cooperation," Mitreva
stressed, adding that Macedonia and Bulgaria would give strong support to FR
Yugoslavia in its efforts to join the Partnership for Peace.
Mitreva reported that the ministers' meeting was also focused on several
economic projects, including the Corridor 8 and Corridor 10 projects. In
that context, the three ministers suggest a meeting between the ministers of
transport from the three countries who would review the issues regarding
these projects.
She announced that the next meeting between the three foreign ministers
would take place in Yugoslavia.
According to Svilanovic, the demarcation of the border would enhance the
communication between the different ethnic groups who live in the
borderzone. He assessed that the relations between the three countries have
greatly improved, which is visible in the numerous joint activities that
they implement.
Thanking for the congratulations for his country's invitation to join NATO,
Bulgarian FM Pasi said that the demarcation of the border is not an act that
divides, but an act that connects the three countries. "I hope that in the
future all citizens will live in Balkans without borders," he said.
"We strongly stand against the tendencies for dividing the Balkans on east
and west," the three ministers underlined, pointing out that the Balkans
should be seen as one entity.
Macedonian foreign minister said that the demarcation of the border on
Macedonian side would cost approximately one million Euro, for which
Macedonia expects assistance from the EU. She also said that the border
agreement foresees opening of two other border crossings between Macedonia
and Yugoslavia.
Asked about Pristina's discontent from the demarcation of the border between
Macedonia and Yugoslavia in the Kosovo section, Mitreva said that the border
was recognized by all relevant international factors.
Svilanovic said that there could be talks about the border only if that
concerns the people, but in no case there would be such negotiations is the
subject is sovereignty of the province.
After the meeting, the three ministers came out with joint statement whereat
they hail the establishment of the Euro-region Skopje-Nis-Sofia, which took
place on October 26 in Skopje.
The three ministers also underline the significance of the cooperation in
the field of energy, and express readiness to fully implement the Memorandum
for establishment of single energy market in the SEE, which was signed in
Athens on November 15.
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