Δυο γερουσιαστες κοντα στον Ομπαμα και τον Μακειν πιεζουν να αποσυρουν οι ΗΠΑ την αναγνωριση των Σκοπιων σαν "Μακεδονια". Διαβαστε αρθρο ...
TWO SENATORS CLOSE TO OBAMA AND MCCAIN
CALL ON U.S. TO WITHDRAW RECOGNITION OF FYROM AS MACEDONIA
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 23, 2008 -- In an Op-Ed to be published tomorrow in the Washington Times, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) jointly advocate the withdrawal of U.S. recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia.’ Below is the text of this Op-Ed. Menendez is a fellow Democrat and close friend of Senator Obama and of his Vice Presidential running mate Senator Joe Biden, serving with them on the Senate’s Europe Subcommittee. Snowe is a close friend of Senator McCain and one of the few fellow Republican mavericks in the Senate.
“Withdrawal of America’s recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’ could be near. It could make the list of one of the first examples of the changes in Washington policy promised by Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain,” said leaders of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH).
These CEH leaders stressed that, “Obama’s and McCain’s focus on improving America’s image abroad will require closer U.S. adherence to the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, OECD and international law. The spirit of these international conventions opposes a country seeking a name that describes neighboring territory that its citizens want to annex.”
“All sides of the issue recognize that ‘Macedonia’ describes an ancient kingdom, the majority of which is in northern Greece, and they are aware of numerous recent examples of FYROM’s citizensE2 desire to annex this territory. As well, the opinion of Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America, Demetrios, who was born and raised in the Macedonian region of Greece, is highly regarded by both nominees. They both invited him to participate in their recent national conventions.”
“Recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’ was an interim measure, as explained in early November of 2004 by Condoleezza Rice to Archbishop Demetrios and some of our members. She said that the U.S. advocated a final name negotiated by the UN and acceptable to Greece. Some Congressional Republicans and senior UN and US officials would like Rice to reverse that recognition decision before leaving office. They believe it froze FYROM’s movement toward a name acceptable to Greece. Furthermore, FYROM’s lack of movement on the name recently thwarted U.S. efforts to make FYROM part of NATO. This set back the NATO Membership Action Plan and injured U.S. security interests.”
“The administration’s recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’ has put the U.S. in the untenable position of effectively supporting FYROM’s irredentism against the north of Greece, an American ally. FYROM’s irredentist aims were made clear by its recent rejection of Macedonian names that describe only territory within their borders – Northern Macedonia or Upper Macedonia – and by its Prime Minister’s recent appearance at a ceremony standing before a map showing northern Greece annexed.”
CEH leaders concluded by saying that, “Secretary Rice’s timetable and options have narrowed. She must either: (1) utilize what appears to be her only chance of unfreezing UN and NATO efforts and disassociating America from FYROM’s irredentist goals -- withdrawing the interim recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’; or (2) leave office with this destabilizing situation in the Balkans, failure of the NATO Membership Action Plan and irredentist-supporting image as part of the Bush Administration’s international legacy.”
Leaders of CEH include: Andrew A. Athens, CEH Chairman and UHAC National Chairman; Philip Christopher, CEH Vice Chair, PSEKA President and Pancyprian Association of America President; Andy Manatos, CEH President; and UHAC and PSEKA Executive Board Member; Panikos Papanicolaou, Cyprus Federation of America Supreme President; Nikos Mouyiaris, Pancyprian Association of America Executive Vice President; George Tsunis, Chairman/CEO Chartwell Hotels; Tasos Zambas, PSEKA Alternate President; Endy Zemenides, Hellenic American Leadership Council President; Dr. Nicolaos Alexopoulos, American Hellenic Council of California President; Zenon Christodoulou, Greek-American Chamber of Commerce President; and George Dovellos, UHAC Board of Directors.
CALL ON U.S. TO WITHDRAW RECOGNITION OF FYROM AS MACEDONIA
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 23, 2008 -- In an Op-Ed to be published tomorrow in the Washington Times, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) jointly advocate the withdrawal of U.S. recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia.’ Below is the text of this Op-Ed. Menendez is a fellow Democrat and close friend of Senator Obama and of his Vice Presidential running mate Senator Joe Biden, serving with them on the Senate’s Europe Subcommittee. Snowe is a close friend of Senator McCain and one of the few fellow Republican mavericks in the Senate.
“Withdrawal of America’s recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’ could be near. It could make the list of one of the first examples of the changes in Washington policy promised by Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain,” said leaders of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH).
These CEH leaders stressed that, “Obama’s and McCain’s focus on improving America’s image abroad will require closer U.S. adherence to the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, OECD and international law. The spirit of these international conventions opposes a country seeking a name that describes neighboring territory that its citizens want to annex.”
“All sides of the issue recognize that ‘Macedonia’ describes an ancient kingdom, the majority of which is in northern Greece, and they are aware of numerous recent examples of FYROM’s citizensE2 desire to annex this territory. As well, the opinion of Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America, Demetrios, who was born and raised in the Macedonian region of Greece, is highly regarded by both nominees. They both invited him to participate in their recent national conventions.”
“Recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’ was an interim measure, as explained in early November of 2004 by Condoleezza Rice to Archbishop Demetrios and some of our members. She said that the U.S. advocated a final name negotiated by the UN and acceptable to Greece. Some Congressional Republicans and senior UN and US officials would like Rice to reverse that recognition decision before leaving office. They believe it froze FYROM’s movement toward a name acceptable to Greece. Furthermore, FYROM’s lack of movement on the name recently thwarted U.S. efforts to make FYROM part of NATO. This set back the NATO Membership Action Plan and injured U.S. security interests.”
“The administration’s recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’ has put the U.S. in the untenable position of effectively supporting FYROM’s irredentism against the north of Greece, an American ally. FYROM’s irredentist aims were made clear by its recent rejection of Macedonian names that describe only territory within their borders – Northern Macedonia or Upper Macedonia – and by its Prime Minister’s recent appearance at a ceremony standing before a map showing northern Greece annexed.”
CEH leaders concluded by saying that, “Secretary Rice’s timetable and options have narrowed. She must either: (1) utilize what appears to be her only chance of unfreezing UN and NATO efforts and disassociating America from FYROM’s irredentist goals -- withdrawing the interim recognition of FYROM as ‘Macedonia’; or (2) leave office with this destabilizing situation in the Balkans, failure of the NATO Membership Action Plan and irredentist-supporting image as part of the Bush Administration’s international legacy.”
Leaders of CEH include: Andrew A. Athens, CEH Chairman and UHAC National Chairman; Philip Christopher, CEH Vice Chair, PSEKA President and Pancyprian Association of America President; Andy Manatos, CEH President; and UHAC and PSEKA Executive Board Member; Panikos Papanicolaou, Cyprus Federation of America Supreme President; Nikos Mouyiaris, Pancyprian Association of America Executive Vice President; George Tsunis, Chairman/CEO Chartwell Hotels; Tasos Zambas, PSEKA Alternate President; Endy Zemenides, Hellenic American Leadership Council President; Dr. Nicolaos Alexopoulos, American Hellenic Council of California President; Zenon Christodoulou, Greek-American Chamber of Commerce President; and George Dovellos, UHAC Board of Directors.
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Σχόλια
September 24, 2008
Op-Ed Authored by Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME)
With the attention of Euro-Atlantic diplomats understandably focused on cooling the conflict in the Caucasus, the United States must not forget that much work=2 0remains to be done to address tensions elsewhere in the mountains of southeastern Europe. Enhancing and preserving the hard-won stability of the Balkans requires that Washington not become complacent about remaining irredentist agendas in this complex region. This should be Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s focus when she is in New York later this month at the convening of the United Nations General Assembly with the foreign Ministers of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
In 1944, Secretary of State Edward Stettinius expressed concerns about Yugoslavian Communist leader Tito creating a “Macedonian” province and consciousness among his people. Stettinius saw the destructive potential in Tito’s choice of a name describing an ancient geographical area 52% of which is located in modern Greece, 9% in Bulgaria and 39% in Yugoslavia. His description of Tito’s actions as “a possible cloak for aggressive intentions against Greece” manifested years later when Tito’s “Macedonians” crossed into Greece as participants in Greece’s anti-communist civil war (1946-49).
Nearly half a century later, that Yugoslavian province became an independent nation in 1991 identified by the United Nations (UN) and internationally as the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” or “FYROM.” Yet Tito’s furtive aims live on in many ways, including the nation’s pursuit of the name “Macedonia.” Its new constitution called on all “Macedonians” in neighboring countries to rise up and unite. In addition, FYROM printed currency featuring the White Tower of Salonika (Thessaloniki), Greece and created a flag featuring the Macedonian symbol from the dynasty of Philip of Macedon and his son Alexander the Great, which was located in Greece.
Years of productive U.S. and UN diplomacy moved FYROM to drop the offending language from its constitution and symbols from its currency and flag. Many believed FYROM was moving towards adopting a name such as “North Macedonia” or “Upper Macedonia” which appropriately describes its own geography.
However in 2004, the=2 0Administration disregarded possible long-term consequences and focused exclusively on short-term intra-FYROM political goals. It split from UN, NATO and EU policies to recognize FYROM as the “Republic of Macedonia” in a misguided attempt to provide cover to western-oriented leaders in an intensely nationalistic political environment. This sudden about-face undermined international efforts to solve the name issue, and emboldened those within FYROM opposed to a diplomatic solution. Shortly thereafter, a videotape surfaced showing FYROM’s state schools teaching that northern Greece is FYROM territory occupied by Greece. Maps showing northern Greece as part of FYROM also appeared in school textbooks and one was recently displayed behind Prime Minister Gruevski at a ceremony. Most recently the political leadership in Skopje launched an unprecedented campaign of claims against Greece, thus undermining the ongoing talks under UN auspices.
Due to FYROM’s intransigence on the name dispute it was prohibited from joining NATO at the group’s April summit, thus thwarting American security interests. In Bucharest, NATO leaders unanimously decided that an invitation to FYROM will be extended as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been reached. In breaking with the international commu nity on FYROM’s name and failing to condemn its provocations, the U.S. Administration bolstered FYROM’s intransigence and inadvertently contributed to the deadlock in NATO.
To correct this position, we recently requested clarification on the Administration’s position on this issue. The State Department responded with a letter that stated, “Our Ambassador [to FYROM] will, as well, help these leaders understand the dangers of irredentism in any form and the importance of avoiding the implications of irredentism in any form….”
From our perspective, this was an improvement on the U.S. position. Yet when this language from the letter was recently read aloud at a State Department briefing, the department’s spokesman indicated that its position on the issue had not changed. We strongly believe it would be an error to eschew progress on this issue at the very moment it is most required.
Secretary Rice has an ideal opportunity in New York to demonstrate America’s opposition to any form of irredentism in FYROM and resolve the question of accession to NATO. She can tell FYROM that unless it accepts an international name that describes only its territory, such as “North” or “Upper” Macedonia, to be also used in the bilateral relations with the U.S., by a time certain, the U.S. will withdraw bilateral recognition of FYROM as “Republic of Macedonia.” In doing so, she can regenerate the American pressure necessary to resolve the problem, avoid sowing the seeds of another potential conflict in Europe and open the door for FYROM’s accession to the European Union and NATO. This requires engagement, leadership and proactive diplomacy. Such a solution will have bipartisan support in the Congress.