OSCE Chairman-in-Office visits Skopje

SKOPJE, 14 September 2001 (OSCE) - "The role and profile of the OSCE in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are to increase considerably", stated Mr. Mircea Geoana, OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of Romania, during his visit to Skopje today.

Mr. Geoana met with President Boris Trajkovski, the President of the Parliament, Mr. Stojan Andov, the Prime Minister, Mr. Ljubco Georgievski, as well as with leaders of political parties. The discussions focussed on political progress in the implementation of President Trajkovski's peace plan and the period after the finalisation of NATO's Operation Essential Harvest. The important role of the OSCE in areas such as monitoring the return of the displaced population, police related activities, media and public administration, as mentioned in Annex C of the Framework Agreement was reiterated.

"The purpose of my meeting with President Trajkovski and NATO Secretay General Lord Robertson was to synchronise the efforts of the Macedonian Government and the international organizations involved, in order to create the necessary conditions for the return of this country into normality", said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. This specific meeting was preceeded by a dicussion on the same issues with EU High Representative Javier Solana on Wednesday in Brussels.

The Chairman-in-Office was accompanied in the meetings by his Personal Envoy, Mr. Max van der Stoel, OSCE Secretary General, Mr. Jan Kubis, and by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Mr. Craig Jenness.

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For further information contact Josue Anselmo, OSCE Spokesperson, mobile 0664 325 3698, or the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: +43-1-514-36-180; fax: +43-1-514-36-105; e-mail: info@osce.org