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Verbatim report of proceedings
Thursday, 4 October 2001 - Strasbourg OJ edition

Support for a framework agreement in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
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  Haarder (ELDR).(DA) Mr President, I think that two messages must be sent to Macedonia today. The first should be to the government of Macedonia. Much gratitude should be conveyed, as well as admiration expressed, for the courage demonstrated by the Macedonian government in proposing amendments to the constitution and giving the Albanian minority the place required by a modern democracy. It has been difficult, and the European Union must express its heartfelt gratitude to the Macedonian government for what it has done. The second message I think we should convey to Macedonia should be addressed to the NLA, or what is known as the liberation movement. It will be appreciated that this originally emerged under Milosevic – I shall not go through the whole story – but now there is only one thing to say to the NLA and to its remnants in northern Macedonia, and that is: the struggle is over now; all weapons must be handed in now; there is now no reason at all for the NLA to continue with the activities of which it has been guilty – and I use the word ‘guilty’ advisedly, for the NLA is of course a very mixed organisation, certain aspects of which do not bear too close examination. Now, the Albanian population has been accorded its full civic rights. That is the way to solve problems involving minorities. I myself come from a border area between Denmark and Germany, in which we solved all the problems 45 years ago by according both minorities, north and south of the border, full rights in a modern democracy. That is what Macedonia has now also chosen to do. It is the right way, and both parties deserve our thanks.

 
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