Security Council
Distr. GENERAL S/25855/Add.2 3 June 1993
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
LETTER DATED 26 MAY 1993 FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL
Addendum
Letter dated 3 June 1993 from the Secretary-General
addressed to the President of the Security Council
I have the honour to transmit to you, and through you to the members of the Security Council, a letter addressed to me by the President of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia dated 29 May 1993.
This is further to my report pursuant to paragraph 3 of Security Council res6lution 817 (1993) transmitted to you under cover of my letter of 26 May 1993 (S/258s5), and the first addendum to that report which I transmitted to you under cover of my letter dated 28 May 1993 (S/25855/Add.l).
(Signed) Boutros BOUTROS-GHALI
S/25855/Add. 2
Annex
Skopje 29 May 1993
Your Excellency,
After the admission of my country into the United Nations, the Co-Chairmen of the Steering Committee of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia at Your Excellency's request, and in accordance with Security Council resolution 817 (1993) have begun their good offices and negotiations with the representatives of the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece. Inspired by the permanent interests for good-neighbourly relations with the Republic of Greece, for peace and stability in the region, we have confirmed to the Co-Chairmen our fullest participation and cooperation, so that the speedy settlement of the difference between my country and the Republic of Greece could be achieved.
I would like to express our belief that these negotiations have proved so far that it is conceivable that the request of the Security Council could be successfully met, to which end the Co-Chairmen, Mr. Cyrus Vance and Lord David Owen, have also rendered an important contribution. We are prepared to continue to cooperate with them in order to arrive at a speedy settlement of the remaining unsolved matters.
We have, however, specific objections in connection with certain suggestions of the Co-Chairmen, in particular regarding the following:
-the unacceptability of Article S of the proposed Draft, which is directly in conflict with the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and may, if accepted, imply change o~ the Constitution with unforeseeable consequences and destabilization of the situation in my country and in our region;
- our reservations on the content of Article 7, which could denote serious grounds for misunderstandings and disputes between the two countries due to its wide and imprecise drafting; the necessity to stipulate Macedonian and the Greek language (apart. from the English language) as the languages of two parties that are to sign an international agreement.
We, suggest that Article 8 should read:
1. The parties shall guarantee the rights and obligations of persons members of national, ethnic and similar groups in accordance with applicable international standards, in particular: (further on, besides already mentioned documents, Article 8 should include: the United Nations Declar2tion on the Rights of Persons belonging to National, or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and the Council of Europe's parliamentary Assembly Recommendation on the Rights of Minorities)
2. (As proposed.)
We would like to emphasize our firm conviction that our constitutional name "The Republic of Macedonia'1 does not imply territorial or other aspirations whatsoever. Therefore, other proposals are not necessary. To the contrary, the confirmation of this name shall represent significant contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, which is an essential requirement of resolution 817 (1993).
In a word, we find it indispensable that the existing process of negotiations continues in accordance with the above-mentioned resolution of the Security Council. However, that does not preclude the prospects for bilateral talks and negotiations between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece in correlation with the above-mentioned process. They, certainly, could not represent a substitute for the ongoing negotiations on the basis of the good offices of the Co-Chairmen, in hope that they could contribute to the strengthening of the mutual confidence and to the achievement of solutions acceptable for both parties.
I am fully convinced that the Security Council shall take into account the content of this letter when considering Your Excellency's report to the Security Council and shall decide that the ongoing process be accomplished in the specific and the shortest possible period.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(Signed) 'K. GLIGOROV President of the Republic of Macedonia
H.E. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali
United Nations Secretary-General New York
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