MACEDONIA AND GREECE FAIL TO HARMONISE NAME POSITIONS IN NY
National.
The latest round of talks between Macedonia and Greece with respect to the name dispute, under the auspices of mediator Matthew Nimetz, came to an end Saturday evening in New York failing to harmonise the countries' positions.
Nimetz, after the meeting with countries' negotiators Nikola Dimitrov and Ademantios Vassilakis, stated that name resolution wasn't reached during this round of talks and that new meeting would be held in due time, without giving out other details. New talks on the name surely won't be held until Thursday (March 6) when the meeting of NATO foreign ministers is scheduled. The meeting's agenda is focused on determining whether Macedonia will receive membership invitation at the Bucharest Summit in April. Nimetz warned that having no solution for the name dispute might prompt serious consequences over the regional stability referring to the Kosovo issue.
According to Ambassador Dimitrov, even though Macedonia was willing to become NATO member, "it cannot cut the branch it sits on and gamble with its own national identity".
Nimetz following Friday's separate meetings with the two negotiators, pointed out the "significant differences" in terms of Athens and Skopje's positions on the name issue.
When asked whether he would put forward a new proposal, the US diplomat replied negatively.
- There are essential differences in the positions of both parties, added Nimetz.
Although - according to statements by Skopje and Athens' officials - some of the ideas included in Nimetz's latest proposal might have paved the way for further talks and harmonisation, Dimitrov and Vassilakis presented to Nimetz the already well-known positions of their countries in overcoming the 17-year name dispute.
Macedonia seeks a solution in the so called double formula - one name for bilateral communication with Greece and the constitutional name for the rest of the world.
On the other hand, Greece insists for a solution involving a complex name containing the word Macedonia that would be used for international, not only bilateral communication. Athens openly threatens to block Macedonia's accession to NATO if a name solution is not found.
Official Skopje deems that Macedonia has met all NATO membership criteria and therefore it expects membership invitation, whereas the name dispute is a bilateral issue and to be set as membership condition would be a precedent that will damage not only Macedonia, but also the region and the Alliance itself.
MD: Macedonia should and probably will not move a step, while the Greeks are still threatening with a Veto.
[Mia]
The strange thing is that Greece has always and clearly supported the independence, borders and individuality of the 'Republika Makedonija'. It supports it financially, during the 1999 Kosovo war and its civil war in 2001. If Skopje is ungreatful to Athens (just listen to the irredentist language), then Skopje will be another extremist Albania or Serbia, suspecting everybody and, especially at war with more moderate self.
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:03
I thought greece stepped back and accepted that the name macedonia is not its exclusive. I can't understand now why Macedonia is claiming the same.
Posted by
Anonymous |
20:23
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