VZCZCXRO5386
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSQ #0253/01 0981503
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071503Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7239
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0271
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2244
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000253 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA UNITED, MODERATE FOLLOWING GREEK VETO IN 
BUCHAREST 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1. (SBU) Macedonia's leaders, media and intellectuals 
responded to Greece's decision April 3 to block Macedonia's 
NATO accession with deep disappointment, but couched in 
moderate and sober statements.  Emotional appeals for 
national unity and perseverance in implementing reforms have 
been the main GOM public messages post-Bucharest.  High-level 
USG support before and at Bucharest has helped to moderate 
the negative reaction of the public here, producing in its 
wake a surge in pro-U.S. sentiment across the board. End 
summary. 
 
DISAPPOINTED IN GREECE...CALLING FOR UNITY AND REFORMS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Macedonia's bid for NATO membership at the Bucharest 
Summit became the Number One news item on April 3 when the 
final decision regarding the A-3 countries was taken. 
Electronic media and wire services provided minute-by-minute 
coverage of the summit, where all 26 Allies acknowledged 
Macedonia's readiness to join, but Greece blocked Macedonia's 
invitation due to the bilateral name dispute.  Well-known 
Macedonian pundits analyzed Macedonia's situation 
post-Bucharest, disappointed in Greece's "19th century 
rhetoric," yet appealing to citizens "to avoid a 
self-isolationist scenario."  Although they considered the 
veto's "negative effect on the citizens," analysts urged from 
the pages of the April 4 print media against "a payback 
policy against the Greeks." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following the official veto announcement at 
Bucharest, Macedonia's leaders decided to return immediately 
to Skopje "to be with the Macedonian people in this difficult 
moment."  Visibly emotional, both President Crvenkovski and 
Prime Minister Gruevski expressed their frustration with 
Greece's veto, which they considered a clear breach of the 
1995 Interim Agreement (Note: The Interim Agreement between 
Macedonia and Greece committed the two countries to the UN 
process for resolving the name issue, while giving assurances 
to Macedonia that Greece would not block its accession to 
international organizations under the provisional name 
"former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." End note.) 
Crvenkovski added, however, that "our disappointment should 
not paralyze us."  Condemning Greece's "short-sighted 
policy," political leaders of all stripes here said what 
Macedonia needed most now was a state strategy supported by a 
unified political and ethnic consensus. 
 
ETHNIC ALBANIAN REACTIONS 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Unhappy with the Bucharest results, Post's eAlbanian 
contacts echoed the government's appeals for unity and 
pledged to avoid "provocations and further inter-ethnic 
polarization."  Musa Xhaferi, VP of the biggest eAlbanian 
party DUI, gave a sober analysis of the situation.  According 
to him, Macedonian institutions now faced a choice: isolation 
as "FYROM" abroad and "Republic of Macedonia" internally, or 
acknowledgement of the fact that the name issue is a real 
obstacle that eventually must be overcome.  Xhaferi added 
that Macedonia should not walk away from its determination to 
continue reforms for the good of the people.  DUI VP Teuta 
Arifi told us April 4 that Albania's successful NATO bid, and 
the release of Kosovo Albanian ICTY indictee Ramush 
Haradinaj, counter-balaced the disappointment of the 
eAlbanian community in Macedonia. 
 
THE U.S. IS OUR BEST ALLY 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Macedonia's leaders across the political spectrum 
thanked all NATO allies, especially the U.S., for 
acknowledging Macedonia's successful reforms.  PM Gruevski 
added that even Greece did not disagree with that positive 
assessment and pledged to "continue with our reforms and 
programs."  The momentary disappointment at Bucharest gave 
way to the media touting of President Bush's alleged support 
for "a closer U.S.-Macedonia relationship."  The country's 
leaders assessed that the explicit USG support for Macedonia 
was the main reason why the public had reacted calmly to the 
 
SKOPJE 00000253  002 OF 002 
 
 
bad news from Bucharest.  The follow-up Zagreb meeting 
between POTUS and Macedonia's top leadership only reconfirmed 
for the Macedonians that, according to the widest circulation 
daily "Dnevnik," "with the U.S. on its side, Macedonia has 
its most powerful ally ever in history." 
 
STOCK MARKET DIPS... BUT BUSINESSES AREN'T WORRIED 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Media reported that, "due to the fiasco in 
Bucharest," the Macedonian stock exchange index marked a 
record drop of 8.4% on April 3.  Although that caused 
short-term panic among stock market investors, most economic 
analysts predicted that "business will continue as usual," 
and the index went back up the next day.  The local British 
Business Group issued a statement on April 3 that British 
businesses "will not be deterred by the lack of a NATO 
invitation, because Macedonia fulfilled all the objective 
criteria." 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶7. (SBU) Across the political and social strata, Macedonian 
reactions post-Bucharest have been moderate and responsible. 
The push by the USG to show clear support for Macedonia's 
candidacy was a major factor in the country's equanimous 
acceptance of a very disappointing NATO summit outcome.  USG 
support has encouraged the government to pledge continuing 
much-needed reforms, while also creating a surge of pro-U.S. 
sentiment. 
MILOVANOVIC