Russian Mps: Putin-trajkovski Talks To Speed Up Balkan Normalization

Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Macedonian counterpart Boris Trajkovski are set to act as "a serious catalyst for the normalization of the situation in Macedonia and the entire Balkans," Russian lawmakers believe. Deputy chairman of the parliamentary international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, told reporters that with most of the deals on peaceful settlement already struck, the parties to the recent conflict in the country only need to negotiate ratification of constitutional amendments granting greater rights to the country's ethnic Albanians. Kosachyov described it as a "deadlock situation" when the European Union makes all economic aid to Skopje contingent on the approval of the amendments, while President Trajkovski "has so far failed to master parliament". "It's time to negotiate," the lawmaker believes.