From: ls1@cec1.wustl.edu (Lambros Skartsis)
Subject: Re: Trip to Skopje, 9/92
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 16:52:46 GMT

In article: <1473100066@igc.apc.org>
 Lynn Gazis-Sax <lgsax@igc.apc.org> writes:

>  We saw the new flag
>of Macedonia, a very striking yellow star, or perhaps a stylized
>sun, on a red background.  (A controversial flag - Greece objects
>to the use of this star, on grounds that it was used in ancient
>Macedonia.) 

....

>"I never expected that Greece would do something like this," and "I
>don't understand" were typical comments.  Macedonia, everyone
>assured me, had absolutely no interest in Greek territory and was
>no threat to Greece.

....

> Macedonians argue that the idea of Macedonian nationhood
>is older. One Macedonian activist told me that the Macedonian
>national identity began in the nineteenth century.  Our guidebook,
>_Skopje and Its Surroundings_ (written in 1986, before the breakup
>of Yugoslavia) goes farther, saying, "the end of the first
>millenium brought the first Macedonian state and the Macedonian
>Emperor Samuil (976-1014)."  (It does not, however, trace
>Macedonian identity as far back as Alexander the Great - a
>distinction is made between those Macedonians and the Slavic
>ones.) 


Dear Lynn,
I am sorry to say that this issue (the Macedonian problem) has ended up
in a, more or less, propaganda war, or, to put it more bluntly, a series
of efforts to "convince", create impressions, sound-as-sincere-as-possible
etc., aiming, of course, at the ignorance of the general audience. 
Eeeeeeeverything one wants to know about this issue can be easily found
in any library. I BEG those folks who are interested in it to go and
spent some time there, reading about modern Balkan history and the 
macedonian problem [a very distinct and well defined issue going on
for several decades] so that it won't be up to whether you, or I, or
anyone sounds more convincing in his/her efforts to create impressions.


To put it briefly:
in your several postings, Lynn, the prevailing implication is that
the Slavomacedonians have NO claims direct, indirect, emotional, moral
or other, whatsoever, on greek Macedonia. That they have no feeling
of relevance to the ancient Macedonians. And that they, thus,  are surprised
by Greece's actions; for which Greece, nevertheless, thay have good
and friendly feelings and "try to understand her hostility".

Well, the validity of the above, as I said earlier, can be easily
determined by a brief VISIT TO THE LIBRARY and familiarization with
the genesis and the details of the macedonian issue and the "historic
theories" behind it. A mess, basically involving greek and bulgarian history, 
Russian ambitions, Tito's plans, the greek communist party's internal
struggle etc., but after some reading it may start being more clear... 

Nevertheless:
 could you please tell me if you would - assuming that
indeed you are an observer and what you say were truly your impressions,
while you obviously have no historic background on the issue
[I'm trying to clarify what exactly is
your message, OK? just help me!]:

- the slavomacedonians believe in no relevance to the ancient Macedonians?
  did you SINCERELY gather this impression? so how about the flag (to
  make it like that:very-very-very simple!). Is it just a nice sun-design that
  "the greeks CLAIM is related to the ancient Macedonian symbol in their
  paranoia"?                                                       

- what to they believe regarding the provinces called "Macedonia" in
  Greece and Bulgaria?  

 (i) is it a coincidence (i.e., completely different areas that HAPPENED to
     have the same name?

 (ii) are they part of a greater GEOGRAPHIC region, as defined in modern times
      - quite larger than the ancient kingdom -  ALWAYS inhabited by a mix of 
     different nations and which was NATURALLY divided, more or less, between 
     these nations [so that none of these nations can claim that "it deserved
     the whole of it"]?

 (iii) are they part of "their country" that "was divided between Greece
       Serbia and Bulgaria", i.e, "taken", "stolen" from them? 
       
        Do the terms: "Macedonia" [large region in the Balkans]
        "Macedonia" [ancient kingdom], "Macedonians" [themselves] all refer to
        the same thing that morally is associated with them and ONLY?

The answers are obvious to whoever knows the history, or has truly talked with
slavomacedonians on these issues! 

All I want to know, Lynn, is YOUR [who are assumed
to be an innocent observer without any historic background] impressions...

Regards,
L. Skartsis

       
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