European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 7, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse On tto Europe a teen wearing a to shirt saying Quot Macedonia is Creek Quot joins Creek troops near the Border with Macedonia. Greece by Alan Cowell the new York times s Greece contemplate the morass of the Balkans to the North with some trepidation it has sunk into a swamp of its own its name is a or depending on the viewpoint is not a Macedonia. And like any swamp it is clinging messily even As the new socialist government seeks prestige and respect from its just assumed presidency of the european Union. Ever since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia Greece has been fighting and gradually losing the Battle to prevent its european allies and the world in general from recognizing the former communist wedge of land on its Northern Border under the name it has chosen for itself a that is Macedonia. It is an Issue that boils with nationalist passion. It played a major part in ringing Down the previous greek government in september. Yet As some greeks slowly seem to be acknowledging it is an Issue that cannot be won and May As Well be left to fizzle quietly even As the government s adversaries insist that it will not be allowed to simply go away. Quot we will fight it All the Way Quot said former foreign minister Andonis Samaras the conservative rebel whose defection from the new democracy party last year brought Down the government of Constantine i Tsitakis and forced Early elections that recalled the socialist Andreas Papandreou to Power three months ago. Put simply the dispute centers on greek fears that implicit in both the name of the fledgling state and in its Constitution is an expansionist claim on the Northern greek area that is also called Macedonia. Greece s Campaign to prevent recognition of Macedonia has been energetic and irritating to its european Union partners. And it has backfired six european countries a Britain France Italy Germany the Netherlands and Denmark a decided in december to recognize Macedonia As the former yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. On the surface it is an uneven fight. Greece has 10 million people an army Navy and air Force membership in the european Union and is a nato ally. Landlocked Macedonia has 2 million people no significant armed forces and Trade patterns that make it hugely dependent on greek Good will for food fuel and investment. Macedonia right now serves As a Bunker Between Greece and the fighting in the former Yugoslavia a situation . Peacekeepers including about 300 . Troops stationed there wish to preserve. But the uncertainty of what could happen there in the future is what makes Greece uneasy Quot i am not scared As far As Skopje today is concerned Quot Samaras said referring to the country by the name of its capital. No one in Athens says Macedonia outright unless they mean greek Macedonia even diplomats use the construction from a the former yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Quot i Don t believe Skopje could Ever invade Greece Quot he said. Rather Samaras continued Quot what i m worried about is the potential name game combination of forces in the Region that could create a major threat to Greece Quot should the Balkan contortions produce new lineups of Power that could decide to join Macedonia in a land grab against Greece. Macedonia said Miltiades Evert the newly chosen Leader of the new democracy opposition Quot could bring us into a very bad situation with bulgarians turks paradoxically it is the readiness of greek opposition parties to seek political capital from the Macedonia debate that makes it yet More difficult for them to heal this Balkan fault line when they get into Power. Jii Slafter Papandreou took office in october he fulfilled Campaign promises by cancelling the negotiations under . Auspices that had been nudging Athens toward direct talks with the leadership in Skopje. Quot the main Issue is at a dead end Quot said theodoras Pangalos the minister for european Union affairs who some greeks say is Papandreou s Point Man for eventual concessions. Quot they want their name and we can t possibly accept it under any kind of formula but we can live without an agreement on the what Greece does want though is the removal of the 16-pointed Star of Vergina an old greek Emblem from the macedonian Flag the excision of macedonian constitutional references to the Protection of macedonians outside their country and a Clear recognition of the existing boundaries. Quot we will be keeping up the pressure not to Compromise on Skopje Quot Samaras said. Short subject by Christopher Mcdougall the associated press passengers fell silent As the train eased into the station and three Black men stepped aboard. ,. A shades and shaved Heads vow Hood ornaments dangling from their necks anyone who followed the news had no doubt the three teen agers were members of the african gangs newspapers say Are terrorizing the Lisbon rail lines. But As the Young angolans took a Corner seat glared at by elderly women and workers it was hard to Tell who was threatening whom. Black White tensions Are on the Rise in Portugal. News reports blame a new generation of immigrants no longer african and defiantly in portuguese who have adopted the sinister look of american Street gangs. Immigrant groups even the police respond that the problem is newspapers and new private television stations that use sensation to increase circulation and gain viewers. They say this is creating a degree of racial friction unusual in Portugal. A now we re the Colony a screamed the weekly o independents. In a six Page Story called a a Portugal a violent Black gangs about an an alleged epidemic of gang violence the paper gave Only one example a grocery store clerk who said he was robbed by three african teen agers with a starters gun. Some gang members Are the children of immigrants others recently arrived from the poverty and civil War Portugal left behind in its former african a a a colonies. Many have Little to belong to and have joined gangs with american names such As rappers and Black boys and appearances. But police say reports of gang related violence Are rare a As few As three fights in three months All involving individuals according to one officer. A policeman who walks a beat in Intendente the red Light District said a i see these articles about terrible gangs and i say where Are they Lisbon then where was i a a that article was an embarrassment a angolan writer Jose Eduardo Agu Alusa said about the Story in o Independent. A thank god the readers know More about africans than the Agu Alusa blames the sensationalism on what he describes As misguided attempts by politicians and newspapers to make Portugal seem a More european by imagining it has the same problems As Germany France and Britain. After granting Independence to its african colonies in 1975, Portugal a nation of fewer than 10 million people absorbed More than 200,000 african immigrants with Little evidence of racism. In Britain and France both also former colonial Powers the process has not been so smooth. Such a gentle integration was All the More remarkable because of All the colonial Powers in Africa Portugal fought the longest and bloodiest wars before giving up Angola Cape verde Guinea Bissau Mozambique and Sao tom6 e Principe. Monday february 7,1994 the stars and stripes 15
