Macedonia promises reform

Macedonia's Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim (left) and Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski (right)

LUXEMBOURG -- The Macedonian Government has vowed to implement concrete political reforms to defuse the country's ethnic tensions.

The promise came as Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with European Union foreign ministers on Monday.

The accord, a first step towards full EU membership for Macedonia, commits the country to respect democratic principles, human rights, the rule of law and the free market.

It also removes most barriers to free trade between the 15-nation EU and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as providing EU political and economic support for Macedonia.

Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, told CNN: "The government in Macedonia is committed to move forward in the direction of political reforms and economic reforms and with inter-ethnic relationships so that it can become eventually a member of the European family institutionally."

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Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh called the signing a "major step forward toward the integration (of Macedonia) into the European Union."

She added: "I am sure we will see substantial progress (on reforms) by June."

As a result of the accord Macedonia has been granted EU "potential candidate" status, the first former Yugoslav republic to reach this stage, although diplomats say a lengthy review process will be needed before full EU membership negotiations can begin.

The EU hopes that by bringing Macedonia into the fold it can facilitate a renewed dialogue between the country's predominantly Slav government and its disgruntled Albanian minority.

Ethnic Albanian rebels and Macedonian troops have clashed repeatedly in the last month as Macedonian Albanians demand greater civil rights.

Solana: "Macedonia is commited"

The government considers the rebels "terrorists" linked to militants in the neighbouring Serb province of Kosovo.

A leading ethnic Albanian politician, however, warned on Sunday that more ethnic violence is inevitable unless Macedonia changes its constitution to allow more rights for minority Albanians.

"The constitution as it is now .... is completely opposed to the multi-ethnic reality of Macedonia," said Menduh Thaci, vice president of the Democratic Party of Albanians, a key coalition partner in the Slav-dominated government.

A European Committee in Macedonia has been set up to oversee the promised reforms.

The accord read: "The Committee should positively contribute to the path of reform and dialogue ensuring that all ethnic communities feel they have a political and economic stake in the country's development."

Georgievski hailed the agreement as "recognition and reward for all that we have achieved in the last ten years."

Leading politicians are due to meet in Macedonia on Tuesday to hammer out a programme of reform and to discuss ethnic Albanian demands for equal status with the Slav majority.

"Today is the day of the ceremony of signing the agreement," said Macedonian Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim." But tomorrow real life starts."

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Government of Macedonia
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