Taipei Times: Macedonia has set EU membership as one of its goals. What actions has your government taken in advancing this policy?
Dimitrov: One of the strategic goals of Macedonia is to obtain full membership in the European Union and also NATO. We are due to start negotiating with the EU on the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) next month, which is part of its plan for the reconstruction of the Balkans. The agreement would increase regional cooperation and enhance Macedonia's relations with the EU by establishing free trade areas in the region and between the EU and Macedonia.
The agreement would also be a challenge for the Macedonian government to take the necessary market, legal and social reforms. Like I said, the negotiation for the agreement will start in March and we hope during the [next] French presidency of the EU both sides will sign the SAA.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
TT: I assume this issue will be discussed when you visit France later this week?
Dimitrov: Yes, I will join our Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski in Paris and meet with French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
TT: When you talk about Macedonia's accession into the EU, what is the government looking at in terms of a timetable?
Dimitrov: There is a political consensus in the government that it is in Macedonia's interest to become a full member of EU. We know this procedure will take time. Maced-onia must first work internally to catch up to European economic and social standards.
We know this is a very difficult job but it will be a new challenge for our government and Macedonia. We know it will take at least 10 years but we have to start -- beginning with the March negotiation.
TT: You mentioned the reconstruction of the Balkans as one of the first steps towards EU membership. What is Macedonia's role in the reconstruction process?
Dimitrov: Maybe one of the positive results of last year's crisis in Kosovo is that EU and NATO countries finally understand that stability and peace in Southeastern Europe is indivisible from the rest of the continent.
We will continue with our efforts to build the region as new field of democracy, economic development and security cooperation.
Macedonia is the co-chairman for reconstruction and economic development -- a strong pillar for the other two pillars.
The Stability Pact was adopted in July last year by major heads-of-states in the Sarajevo summit and thirty-eight concrete development projects for not only Macedonia; Albania and Bulgaria were also proposed.
However, we are not satisfied with the initial results of the pact.
There is a lack of money and a stable financial basis to support the projects.
But we hope the finance conference in Brussels next month will address these problems and a strong financial basis for supporting these projects will be adopted.
EU and members of G-7 plus international finance organizations like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will be at the conference.
TT: What's your assessment of the current situation in southern Kosovo?
Dimitrov: It's so fragile and complex. The region needs more time to resolve some substantial problems -- like democratization -- not only in Kosovo but also Serbia.
Macedonia absolutely supports UN Resolution 1244. The international organization community should keep Kosovo in the framework of Yugoslavia and not try to change the borders in the region. Any changes in borders will tip the fragile balance of peace and stability.
Macedonia is very concerned about stability because we have suffered too much from the last conflict.
TT: Is there any possibility of a replay of the Kosovo crisis last spring?
Dimitrov:I don't see any strong indication at this point of another crisis. First, like I said, the international community finally understood the importance of maintaining peace and security in the region. Second, there is an international presence (KFOR). These are positive signals that we can avoid a repeat of such conflict in the future.
TT: Moving on to topics relevant to your visit. There was lots of finger-pointing and blame during Macedonia's presidential election about the delays in building the Taiwan-financed export processing zone. What is the status now?
Dimitrov: Yes, we lost some time since the groundbreaking last August. The Macedonian government is not satisfied with the process but everything should be in place now. We have started building the infrastructure for the place.
A special task force has been set up and led by Vice Prime Minister Vasil Tupurkovski and other ministers (including urban planning, economic etc.).
The conflicts within the government coalition have been resolved.
The export processing zone is good for both countries. It is estimated to create around 20,000 jobs for Macedonia, plus it will serve to broaden Taiwan's commercial interests in the region.
TT: You are meeting with Foreign Minister Chen Chien-jen (
Dimitrov: I was invited by the new foreign minister to come to Taipei to review bilateral relations in the past year. It's a regular meeting. We'll discuss not only political relations -- which are firmer than ever -- but other areas such as economic cooperation and the international situation.
TT: Would President Boris Trajkovski come to the presidential inauguration in May?
Dimitrov: It depends on if we receive an invitation ... We'll discuss it when the invitation arrives.
TT: If President Trajkovski attends the inauguration, would Peter Cheng (
Dimitrov: Cheng is still the charge d'affaires. There are two steps to formalize the process -- for your government to appoint him and for Macedonia to accept his credentials.
TT: Is there still opposition in Macedonia's government or presidential office in accepting his credentials?
Dimitrov: No, there is no opposition from our side. When Cheng is appointed ambassador, it's realistic to expect that he will be received by our president.
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