SKOPJE, March 23 (Hina) - The Macedonian foreign ministry has set up a crisis committee whose task is to organise the accommodation of possible Iraqi refugees who may seek shelter in Macedonia, the ministry reported on Sunday adding
that this is a pre-cautionary measure and that no official request in this regard has been forwarded to Skopje to date.
SKOPJE, March 23 (Hina) - The Macedonian foreign ministry has set up
a crisis committee whose task is to organise the accommodation of
possible Iraqi refugees who may seek shelter in Macedonia, the
ministry reported on Sunday adding that this is a pre-cautionary
measure and that no official request in this regard has been
forwarded to Skopje to date. #L#
Macedonian President Boris Traikovski, however, has on several
occasions announced the possibility that the country will have to
receive some of Iraqi refugees, as it is part of Macedonia's
obligations stemming from its support to the anti-terrorist
coalition.
Traikovski said he expected of Washington to support Macedonia's
efforts to solve some of its problems, in return.
Sunday's issue of the Dnevnik daily reports that the Bush
Administration had started fulfilling promises pertaining to the
name Macedonia. According to the paper, the U.S. mission in the
communication with NATO is using the name cited in Macedonia's
constitution. The name has to date been contentious due to Athens'
opposition, as Greece believes that the term can refer only to its
northern area. Therefore, the official name of this former republic
established after the break up of the ex-Yugoslav Socialist
Federation (SFRY) is the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
On the other hand, Premier Branko Crvenkovski said Skopje would
offer its assistance to the coalition in the post-conflict stage
when it could send medical teams and allow the use of air space and
the military section of the Skopje airport, but no help from the
United States should be expected in return.