ZAGREB, May 31 (Hina) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said in Zagreb today the entire region of the South East of Europe must unite. Otherwise, it is doomed to failure.
ZAGREB, May 31 (Hina) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson
said in Zagreb today the entire region of the South East of Europe
must unite. Otherwise, it is doomed to failure. #L#
After meeting Croatian President Stipe Mesic at the Zagreb airport,
Robertson told reporters he is glad he had the opportunity to relay
to Mesic the commendations for the progress Croatia has achieved on
its path to a developed democracy, as well as its political and
economic reforms. He recalled he dubbed last year's political
changes in Croatia as the best news of the 21st century.
Croatia still remains the leading country in guaranteeing a greater
degree of security and stability in the entire region, Robertson
said, adding that of all the regional problems, the situation in
Macedonia is of greatest concern, where a small group of, as he put
it, armed hooligans, continue to jeopardise the survival of a
democratic and multi-ethnic state.
NATO's Secretary-General expressed expectation the Macedonian
government would continue with its firm and energetic programme,
but would also move towards political reforms.
President Mesic told reporters the two analysed the situation in
the narrower and wider area, and mutually concluded a part of the
region has been stabilised, with the tendency for maintaining the
stability, while, especially the South of Serbia, Kosovo and
Macedonia are still considered crisis areas.
"The South of Serbia is calming down, Kosovo is preparing for
elections and the situation there is under control, despite some
excesses, but the situation in Macedonia is difficult, although a
possibility for avoiding a real war still exists," Mesic stressed,
confirming that this would primarily depend on the political
determination everybody is expecting of the Macedonian
government.
(hina) lml sb