SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON ALL PARTIES IN FYROM TO IMPLEMENT

FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ‘IN GOOD FAITH’

The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the Framework Agreement signed today in Skopje between the Government of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and political parties representing the Albanian community.  He hopes that this agreement will succeed in restoring calm, after the violence which has brought so much fear and pain to the people of the Republic in recent weeks, and will prove to be the basis for a stable political settlement.

The Secretary-General is gratified that the international community, particularly the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), played a commendable role in helping the parties to reach this agreement.  The Secretary-General calls upon the parties to honour their commitments, especially to observe fully the ceasefire, and take immediate steps to implement the agreement in good faith.  The international community and the United Nations stand ready to offer their full support and assistance.

The Secretary-General is convinced that there can be no solution to this crisis other than a political one.  The use of violence by any party to undermine the agreement, or to seek further political gains, would be absolutely unacceptable.

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