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                M. I. L. S.
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91, Rue du Craetveld - Kraatveldstraat 91   Orce Nikolov 28
1120 BRUSSELS, Belgium                      SKOPJE, Macedonia
tel/fax: +32/2/268 18 48                    tel/fax:+38 91 221 842
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       954 8691431 92
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MEDIA RELEASE:
 
CITIZENS' PEACE CONFERENCE

(Organised by the Helsinki Citizens Assembly and with a
contribution from the European Community)

Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia, November 5-8, 1992

   More than 400 people from all over Europe--Lord Mayors and
representatives of cities, regional and municipal authorities,
members of citizens` organizations and groups, and peace
activists--are gathering in Ohrid, the seat of Macedonian
literacy, culture and art, to work for peace and democracy in the
Balkans. 
   The Republic of Macedonia, the host nation of the Conference,
has spent the last 12 months living on the edge of a war that has
already consumed over half of the former Yugoslavia, and has left
thousands of dead and wounded, ruined homes and burned cities.
It has spread the poison of hate between nations, and has made
thousands of people leave their homes to become refugees. In a
place where the fire of war is stronger than hope, and where
there is much more hate than love, we are tempted to lose faith
in the values of European Civilization: humanity, democracy and
tolerance.
   The advocates of war, the proponents of ethnic and racial
purity, the agents of nationalism, and the voices from the
darkness of history are trying to convince us to forget
fundamental values without which there is no future for Humanity
in the Balkans and in Europe.
   Living in the Balkans used to mean and still means to live in
a battle field; living in the Balkans also means to live on the
margins of civilised Europe. Throughout history, Macedonia has
been treated unfairly by the world. To be ostracised by Europe,
after having fulfilled all the conditions for recognition is a
gross injustice. We are being forced to reject the values of 
European democracy.
   Our gathering in Ohrid is one of the most important arguments
today that the people in the Balkans and the people in Europe can
live in a community, despite the power of those who would like
to reduce them into a shapeless mob. We have not yet become an
"Archipelago of isolated desperadoes". That is why we are here,
all together, together because we are different in everything,
except in our determination to do everything we can to stop the
war. We want to demonstrate humanitarian values do exist in the
Balkans.