Brussels, 19/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - Speaking with the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament (President Nicole Fontaine and the presidents of the political groups), widened to MEPs wanting to take part, on Wednesday, the High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana briefed Parliament on the latest developments in Macedonia, referring to "elements for hope, but difficulties too". In particular, regarding the Constitutional review, Mr. Solana (who recalled that the EU had "worked for six months to secure a political agreement) stressed that "we shall have timing problems". "The Speaker of the Parliament in Skopje told me that voting on the constitutional amendments would not be completed within the scheduled deadline, which risks creating a vacuum between the political and constitutional process and NATO's mission to collect Albanian guerrilla weapons, Essential Harvest," said Solana. NATO intends gathering these weapons by 26 September, But Mr. Solana considers that the Alliance should be able to prolong the mandate of Essential Harvest to avoid that problem.
As for "post-Essential Harvest", Solana noted that a military presence on the ground would be necessary, and announced to the parliamentarians that President Trajkovski had agreed in principle to such a presence. "I hope that the President will be sending a letter to Lord Robertson today or tomorrow", formulating a request of the Alliance along these lines, Solana went on, noting that it would be a question of a "very important step, that could not have been taken for granted even twenty-four hours ago". After this letter, we shall see what type of force to envisage, remarked the former Secretary General of NATO, adding: "not a very large force, for a limited period". The letter from the President of FYROM reached NATO Wednesday afternoon and two other concerning the monitoring missions were still to reach the EU and the OSCE. Furthermore, he welcomed the declaration of the leader of the UCK who said that the Albanians would continue to hand in their weapons "irrespective of the speed of the political process".
As for the EU monitors (deployed, like those of the OSCE, especially in the mountains around Tetevo), recalling that "we have had two deaths", Mr. Solana confirmed that 35 more monitors should be added to the 25 already present, and that the OSCE should also be increasing its own contingent.
In addition, Solana drew attention to the problem of the delivery of arms that Russia and Ukraine are preparing for Macedonia. We have contacted Moscow and Kyiv to stress the need, at this delicate stage, to avoid rearming a country that especially needs economic assistance and stability, stressed Mr. Solana, noting that the EU had already put this message across to Ukraine at the Yalta Summit.
Poettering would like improvement in communication between Solana and European Parliament plenary
Many MEPs made a point of paying tribute to the work accomplished by Mr. Solana in Macedonia and elsewhere (see below). The President of the EPP-ED Group, Mr. Poettering, spoke of "almost inhuman efforts", while hoping that procedures would be found to improve communication between the High Representative and plenary (Solana regularly briefs the Foreign Affairs Committee, but his presence in plenary is rarer: Ed.). The President of the Socialist Group, Mr. Baron, for his part, spoke of "almost impossible mission".