U.S. position on Macedonia

[UMDiaspora.org]

Information and a picture will be published in our upcoming newsletter. Please stay tuned.

[Risto the Great]

Macedonia's National Day

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
September 8, 2010

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Macedonia as you celebrate your Independence Day on September 8.

On this occasion, we reaffirm the bonds between our countries and look forward to deepening our partnership in the years to come. The United States is committed to promoting Macedonia’s membership in NATO and the European Union, and we will continue to help strengthen Macedonia’s multiethnic and democratic institutions in cooperation with your leaders and civil society.

I wish the people of Macedonia a safe and happy holiday. We celebrate all you have achieved in the 19 years since your independence as we work together toward a democratic, secure, and prosperous future for all our people.

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/09/146904.htm

What exactly are the bonds Hillary?
What are you doing about the multiethnic USA at the moment?

[Risto the Great]

Here is a really nice pat on the back for Macedonia .... note the lack of room for innuendo:

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/275985/national-day-macedonia-september-8-2010

TODAY is the National Day of Macedonia. It has been a national holiday since 1991, when a referendum for independence took place. The Republic of Macedonia gained its independence from Yugoslavia, where it was a federal state, and became a sovereign parliamentary democracy.

Macedonia is a landlocked country on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Serbia to the north, Albania to the west, Kosovo to the northwest, Greece to the south, and Bulgaria to the east. Skopje is the capital.

Since independence in 1991, Macedonia has experienced considerable economic growth due to the development of an open economy, with trade accounting for more than 90 percent of the gross domestic product in recent years. The government has been successful in its efforts to combat inflation, with an inflation rate of only 3 percent in 2006 and 2 percent in 2007 and has implemented policies focused on attracting foreign investment and promoting the development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The government has introduced a flat tax system with the intention of making the country more attractive to foreign investment.

Textiles represent the most significant sector for trade, accounting for more than half of total exports. Other important exports include iron, steel, wine, and vegetables.

The country is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, La Francophonie, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In March, 2009, the European Parliament expressed support for Macedonia’s European Union (EU) candidacy and asked the EU Commission to grant the country a date for the start of accession talks by the end of 2009. The parliament also recommended a speedy lifting of the visa regime for Macedonian citizens.

We congratulate the people and government of Macedonia led by Their Excellencies, President Gjorge Ivanov and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, on the occasion of its National Day. We wish them all the best and success in all their endeavors.

Nice when there is no hidden agenda .... isn't it.

[Makedonska_Kafana]

Information and a picture will be published in our upcoming newsletter. Please stay tuned.

At some point people will stop waiting on the UMD, on-going issue and seldom pro active. When you have very important information it's your responsibility to provide that information to the diaspora unless you only represent your own membership and want it to be a big secret?

If someone beats you to the punch (Macedonian Television Media) your story is old news. A1 will be all over this very soon ..

[Vangelovski]

Please stay tuned.

Same bat channel....

[Daniel the Great]

The thing about a letter is that anyone could of wrote it, if i was to ask her personally about this letter and about Macedonia's independence day she would probably not know what i am talking about.
Clinton or Obama should of made a phone call to congratulate Macedonia.

On that not, congratulations Macedonia on your independence, and may god bless Macedonia and the Macedonian people.

[Makedonetz]

Congratulations to Macedonia and our independence.

[Soldier of Macedon]

The only Macedonians fooled by this garbage are UMD apologists, like Clinton gives a shit about Macedonia or the Macedonian people.

[Phoenix]

UMD just held a meeting with the State Department. Thank you Secretary Clinton and the U.S. for your support of Macedonia!

I didn't realize the State Department had a Starbucks outlet...

[Rogi]

I wonder if ever it will be the Macedonian people who are congratulated on the Independence of their State, rather than the 'people of Macedonia'? After all, it wasn't the 'people of Macedonia' who voted for an independent Republic, it was the Macedonian people (the ethnic Macedonians) - the others (we are referring to the Albanian minority) boycotted and were against Macedonia's Independence, there is nothing for which to congratulate anyone other than the Macedonian people.

[Vangelovski]

I think we all know what the "people of Macedonia" is code for - the "ethnic mix of Albanians, Turks, Roma and Slavs".

There is no reason that the term "Macedonian people" can be used to describe not only ethnic Macedonians but all Macedonian citizens as per international practice. Yet the Macedonian Government, the State Department and UMD seem to insist on Macedonia's particularity. For the Macedonian Government and UMD, its very revealing as to where their views lie.

Meto, this flag you have included in your press release, is that the flag that was freely chosen by the Macedonian people?

http://umdiaspora.org/content/view/497/1/

[Vangelovski]

On another note, I would like Meto to tell us who UMD's representative ("that serves our needs") in Canberra is, seeing as its part of UMD's signature block.

UMD's headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., and it has representatives serving Macedonian communities around the world, including Brussels, Canberra, Chicago, Detroit, Kiev, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Ottawa, Paris, Perth, St. Petersburg, Stuttgart, Sydney, Toronto, and Vienna.

Or is that a "state" secret (Meto also believes that UMD is a "precious national resource" and claims UMD is the Macedonian state itself by suggesting that an attack on UMD is an attempt to "destroy our nation's institutions"):

Those who propagate against Macedonia are well aware of the existence of our precious national resources like the UMD [that keeps our nation strong] and gives voice to our collective cause. As such, UMD is targeted and continuously under attack by those who wish to weaken and divide and destroy our nation’s institutions and in doing so the goals and aspirations they so effectively advance.

http://www.youtube.com/user/UMDiaspo...29/aqkAUc5kkbI
1:35 minutes

[stravdziger]

I wonder if ever it will be the Macedonian people who are congratulated on the Independence of their State, rather than the 'people of Macedonia'? After all, it wasn't the 'people of Macedonia' who voted for an independent Republic, it was the Macedonian people (the ethnic Macedonians) - the others (we are referring to the Albanian minority) boycotted and were against Macedonia's Independence, there is nothing for which to congratulate anyone other than the Macedonian people.

So what if they use the phrase "people of Macedonia" or "Macedonian people"? We're splitting hairs here, fellas

It took 19 years for 120+ countries to fully recognize us by our proper name... at this rate, the battle for recognition is painfully slow, but you have to admit that the battle IS being won, slowly but surely. On a day like Independence Day, I think it's healthy to reflect on our good fortune, not just reflect on the obstacles that continue to face us.

As a Macedonian, is it ok for me to celebrate something positive once in a while, like Independence Day? Or, do I have to whinge about the various problems associated with this or that... oh, woe is me!! Lighten up, gentlemen, when it comes to recognition, the glass is half full... but for some of us, the glass always half-empty... or there is no water! (Not you, Rogi... I'm speaking in general)

Considering the Greek influence in the Democratic Party, I really thought the characters who run the US State Dept. might revert to FYROMing us right after Obama was elected, but nope, they didn't... the phrase "could be worse" comes to mind, but actually, that's an understatement... it could have been much worse for us on this issue.

As for the Albanians and how they voted (or didn't vote) back then, I'm sure you're entirely correct about the organized boycotts, but still, I can't imagine that no one in the 95% that voted "yes" in 1991 was from an ethnic minority, nor would I be surprised if some of the boycotters were nasi. Therefore, I am going to congratulate the "people of Macedonia" on their independence today.

Да живее Македонија!!

[Rogi]

You say splitting hairs, I see it is the denationalisation of the Macedonian Republic, following on from the Framework Agreement.

If you are not able to see that the intent is to take Macedonia from being the 'state of the Macedonian people and its' minorities' to a 'state of the people of Macedonia', therefore eliminating the one and only national state that the Macedonian people have, then you ought to take a more critical and open view of the last 10 years.

Don't get me wrong, I am in fact very hopeful and positive - but I will still call it as I see it, and as it is.

[Frank]

I think we all simply don’t hold any worth is a Security prepared statement we all doubt Madam Hilary or Obama noticed.

Not to mention those Yanks are not our friends they have proven it, they care for the Albanian balance not ethnic Macedonians whom the state department refer to as invisible Slavs

America go to hell your aim is to transform Macedonia into a State of mere citizens