Press ReleaseStatement on Situation in MacedoniaMarch 23, 2001 #18The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on the current situation in Macedonia. In the statement, the Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine is deeply concerned about the breakout of violence on the territory of Macedonia and in the southern Serbia, which was caused by armed provocation by extremist groups of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. According to the statement, Ukraine unconditionally condemns the activities of the armed extremists, who pose a real threat to the territorial integrity of Macedonia as well as to stability in the entire Balkan region. The ministry called on the extremists to immediately put down their weapons and leave the territory of Macedonia and southern Serbia. According to the statement, Ukraine supports the Macedonian government's actions aimed at ending the violence in accordance with international law, including through active cooperation with the international forces in Kosovo. According to the statement, Ukraine also reaffirms its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia and Yugoslavia. It believes that one of the key factors necessary for resolving the crisis in the parts of the Balkans is strict implementation of the United Nations Security Council's resolution 1244/1999 on Kosovo. The Foreign Ministry said in the statement that Ukraine is constantly monitoring the situation in Macedonia and southern Serbia. According to the statement, this was demonstrated by the holding of several emergency meetings of the Security Council this month under the presidency of Ukraine in response to the latest explosion of violence in the Balkan region. According to the statement, Ukraine facilitated the adoption of the Security Council resolution 1345 on this issue and this resolution should be the last serious warning to the forces that are again trying to destabilize the situation in the Balkans. According to the statement, Ukraine welcomes NATO's efforts aimed at resolving the situation in the southern part of the Balkan region supports NATO's decision to gradually reduce the buffer zone in southern Serbia to facilitate a controlled return of Yugoslav forces to the area. The Foreign Ministry stressed in the statement that Ukraine will support further measures by the international community to eliminate the threat to peace and security in the Balkans The Security Council under the presidency of Ukraine will continue to monitor further development of the situation, and it is prepared to take any necessary additional measures to end the escalation of violence in the region. For more information, please contact: Taras Malyshevskyi, Press secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine |
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