Diaspora Returns, for
Macedonia's Sovereignty
by Umberto Pascali
Tens of thousands of Macedonians demonstrated in the capital city, Skopje, on Sept. 12, in defense of Macedonian national sovereignty against the so-called "Framework Agreement" (the forced change of Macedonia's Constitution) imposed by an unholy alliance of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) narco-terrorists and NATO. What is more significant, the demonstration had been organized to express support to a delegation of the Macedonian diaspora, who had come from all over the world—and especially North America—to concretely show their commitment to defend the country in this tragic moment.
Enthusiastic applause welcomed Misko Vasovski, from the United States, who, at the beginning of his speech, relayed to the audience the greetings of Prof. Nestor Oginar and Dr. Stojadin Naumovski. Their flight from New York had been cancelled in the aftermath of the horrible attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Many of the Macedonians had come, hoping to hear Professor Oginar speak.
Members of the diaspora's delegation had visited, or had tried to, the areas of northern Macedonia from which the KLA has almost completely expelled the Macedonian population. In some cases, they were reportedly shot at. The Sept. 12 demonstration signalled the beginning of collaboration between those in Macedonia and the Macedonian diaspora, in defense, first of all, of the concept and the ideal of national independence and sovereignty.
"This peaceful protest demonstrated once again that the Macedonian people love and respect peace, and will never tolerate terrorism and violence as means of political gains," stressed a communiqué by the Macedonian American Council. "It also demonstrated that the Macedonian people shall not accept the imposition of foreign will and interests by way of force and blackmail." Such international cooperation had already been manifested at the annual Schiller Institute-International Caucus of Labor Committees Labor Day conference in Northrn Virginia, where both the leader of the North American diaspora, Professor Oginar, and Macedonia government adviser Emilija Geleva, spoke. In addition, during the conference's open discussion, Dr. Naumovski elicited Lyndon LaRouche's philosophical and strategic "recipe for victory" for leaders in the Balkans, which appears in this section.
Putin, Chirac: 'Inviolability of Borders'
The growing mobilization by the Macedonians corresponds to increasing infighting among the NATO leadership. On Sept. 10, one of the pillars of the NATO scenario in Macedonia, European Union mediator François Léotard suddenly resigned. Léotard, who is France's Defense Minister, together with U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia James Pardew, had made sure the "Framework Agreement" was imposed. Léotard put his resignation in the hands of Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy boss and former NATO Secretary General.
It was shocking news for the small oligarchic club usually presented as the "international community." To rub salt into the wound, a dispatch from Paris by the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, explained that "Léotard's letter is considered as a clear signal on the existence of disagreements in the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance on further steps in Macedonia after NATO completes its operation, Essential Harvest, on 27 September."
"Essential Harvest" is the farcical NATO collection of weapons from the KLA narco-terrorists. On Sept. 12, NATO stopped making a secret of the fact that the weapons voluntarily handed over by the KLA are "junk." "Some Macedonian Rebel Guns Broken," admitted the Associated Press in euphemistic terms. How much is "some"? Well, according to publicly quoted NATO sources, "35% to 40% of the semi-automatic rifles, machine guns, and smaller arms were 'out of operation.' " NATO spokesman Barry Johnson made things worse, with a clumsy cover-up attempt, by saying that only 5% of the weapons were "non-operational," and another 20% could return to service with just "some work."
Well-informed observers told EIR that Léotard's letter of resignation could be understood by considering an other event that happened on Sept. 10: a still very confidential phone call between French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President Vladimir Putin, concerning the Macedonian situation. The only details that have come out, are from a Kremlin statement, saying that the two Presidents had agreed to continue close cooperation "with the aim of preserving the Balkan country's stability, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of its borders."
NATO: From Fissures To Fist-Fights
This formulation corresponds to what has been known as the "Putin Plan for the Balkans," in screeching contradiction to the so-called new Congress of Berlin plan by Lord David Owen, which aims at redrawing the Balkan nations' borders. The insane push to redraw the borders (and, in particular, to partition Macedonia), is the reason for the deployment of the KLA against the country.
On Sept. 11, another NATO internal conflict exploded. According to media reports, German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping accused the British of undermining German troop activities in Macedonia. The statement by Scharping—who has been quoted in the past by the German weekly Der Spiegel, in the context of an exposé of the Anglo-American role in training the KLA—was made behind closed doors at a session of the German Parliament's Defense Committee.
And finally, again on Sept. 11, the Christian Science Monitor revealed that a confrontation erupted at the end of August between Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson. The Prime Minister accused the NATO Lord of having a secret agenda; and, during that same meeting, Robertson was told that he should be declared persona non grata and NATO should be indicted before the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague.
One inside source speculated, "Inside NATO—and inside the EU—we went from cracks to fist fighting." But, in fact, less cynically, the unlawful alliance put together to destroy the very existence of the nation-state, is meeting a growing alternative force.
