Press Release, December 9, 2002

Columbus, Ohio

The President of Macedonian American Friendship Association, Dr. Vasil Babamov, held a scheduled meeting at the US State Department with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Eurasian Affairs Janet Bogue. Ms. Bogue coordinates the United States policy in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and is one of the most important creators of the US foreign policy towards Macedonia. The topics of the discussion were the the political situation in Macedonia following the elections and the dissatisfaction of the Macedonian-American community in the US with the delay in recognizing Republic of Macedonia by the US under its constitutional name.

Dr. Babamov and Ms. Bogue expressed satisfaction with the peaceful elections and the current census in Macedonia. Dr. Babamov pointed to the fact that Macedonia had two complete changes of government in the course of the past four years without major incidents as a clear indication of the maturity of the Macedonian democracy.

Ms. Bogue reassured Dr. Babamov that the US State Department assigns great importance to the relations with Macedonia, pointing to the recent visits to Macedonia by Assistant Secretary of State Elisabeth Jones, in charge of Eurasia, Ms. Bogue herself, Deputy to Ms. Jones in charge of Eastern and Southeastern Europe, and the Director of the South-Eastern Europe Office Mr. Paul Jones, as well as the upcoming meeting of Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva with Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Dr. Babamov expressed to Ms. Bogue the concerns of Macedonian-Americans with the unnecessary delay in recognizing Macedonia under its constitutional name by US and the negative impact of this delay on the stability of the Balkans.  He pointed out the recent resolutions that the Greek lobby in the US passed in the state assemblies of Illinois and California as an indication of the start of a new campaign to destabilize Macedonia, which is only being encouraged by the US delay in recognizing Macedonia under its constitutional name.  Dr. Babamov and Ms. Bogue agreed that these resolutions per se have no meaning and no influence over US foreign policy, but expressed concern with the propaganda that the Greek lobby is spreading based on these resolutions. 

Ms. Bogue mentioned that Macedonia’s constitutional name is in ever-wider usage not only in the US State Department but also everywhere she travels in Europe. She explained that the issue of the recognition of Macedonia’s name was put on the back-burner because of the complexity of the issue and because of the emergence of more urgent issues in the region over the past two years, but indicated that it will be given more attention and focus in the future.

The meeting,. which lasted over an hour, ended with Ms. Bogue’s suggestion for more regular meetings between her office and the Association in the future.

Macedonian American Friendship Association is a non-profit organization of American citizens of Macedonian heritage whose aim is to incorporate promote the views and opinions of the Macedonian American community into the process of formulating US foreign policy towards Republic of Macedonia.  The Association holds regular meetings with all representatives of the US State Department that take part in the formulation of the US foreign policy towards Macedonia as well as with US Senators and US Congressmen who can influence the US foreign policy towards Macedonia.  The Association maintains regular contacts with the media and promotes the views of Macedonian-Americans in the US.

The Macedonian American Friendship Association has offices in Columbus, New York and San Francisco and participates in all important discussions and meetings that influence the US foreign policy towards Macedonia in Washington DC. More information about the goals and activities of the Association can be found on its website at www.macedonianamerican.org.