Discussion Paper: Stabilizing Relations Between Ethnic Macedonians and Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia

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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 09:18:01 +0300 (EEST)
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Subject: Discussion Paper: Stabilizing Relations Between Ethnic Macedonians and Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Victor Bivell <[email protected]>

Discussion Paper: Stabilizing Relations Between Ethnic
Macedonians and Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia


Stabilizing Relations Between Ethnic Macedonians and Ethnic Albanians
in Macedonia

By Victor Bivell

The relationship between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians in
the Republic of Macedonia has been a source of concern for many years,
but it is unlikely to be resolved by ad hoc or piecemeal concessions
by either side. What is required is a Government policy that will ease
the tensions permanently.

While similar minority problems exist in many countries, the source of
ongoing tension in Macedonia is twofold: the large size of the ethnic
Albanian minority, and the rising proportion of ethnic Albanians to
ethnic Macedonians in the general population. Both these factors
contribute to unstable power relations between the two groups. Thus
any solution to the problem must address the issue of population
balance.

However, the policy positions on minorities adopted by other Balkan
countries: denial of the existence of minorities, understating
minority population numbers, overt and covert ethnic cleansing
strategies, are not appropriate and are rightly condemned.

There are many other policy options that can achieve stability and
that are based on acceptable international human rights norms and
concessions from both ethnic groups.

............................

Victor Bivell is a journalist, editor, and founder of Pollitecon
Publications, which has published six books on human rights for ethnic
Macedonians in northern Greece. See
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~pollitec. He can be contacted at
[email protected]

---------
>From the moderator: The full text of the paper (52 Kb in .doc format)
can be obtained from the author or from the MINELRES moderator by
request.
Boris 

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