Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Situation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

August 14, 2001

Japan welcomes the signing of the political agreement in Macedonia on August 13 (Mon) between Macedonian and the ethnic Albanian political leaders as an important step toward stability in Macedonia.
Japan pays tribute to the efforts made by those concerned to reach the agreement and strongly hopes that all the parties concerned will abide by the ceasefire, that the Albanian extremists will cooperate proactively to disarm themselves, and that the political agreement will be approved by the Macedonian parliament without delay and firmly carried out.

(END)