Macedonia, Greece prepare to respond to name dispute proposal

26/02/2008

Macedonia and Greece are working towards defining their positions regarding UN envoy Matthew Nimetz's latest proposal to resolve the longstanding name dispute.

By Zoran Nikolovski for Southeast European Times in Skopje -- 26/02/08

UN special envoy Mathew Nimetz (right), Macedonian negotiator Nikola Dimitrov (left) and Greek negotiator Adamantios Vasillakis speak to the press after talks on the name dispute resumed in Athens on February 19th. [Getty Images]

The governments of Greece and Macedonia are preparing responses to UN envoy Matthew Nimetz's set of solutions to the name dispute between the countries, which he proposed in Athens on February 19th.

Macedonia's response will be presented at the next session with the envoy, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said on Sunday (February 24th), after a meeting of Macedonia's state and political leadership.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said on Tuesday, "Everything that is negative in this proposal we will categorically reject and everything that is positive we will accept. We will explain what is positive and what is negative for us."

Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis briefed the Inner Cabinet and received a favourable reaction. Opposition party leaders, however, said they could not accept a "dual solution" -- under which Macedonia uses its constitutional name in domestic and bilateral relations and a composite name when dealing with international organisations and for passports.

"Mr. Nimetz's proposals are the beginning of a substantive negotiation," Bakoyannis said. "The time has come to solve this issue once and for all ... Let's leave our past behind and reach a solution."

The timing of the offer is viewed as significant, in light of the upcoming NATO summit in Bucharest. Indeed, Nimetz asked for a response from the two governments ahead of the early April summit. Macedonia expects to receive an invitation for membership, but Greece has threatened to block Macedonia's accession to both NATO and the EU if the dispute is not resolved.

Nimetz's proposal reportedly suggests names such as the New Republic of Macedonia, North Republic of Macedonia, Constitutional Republic of Macedonia, Democratic Republic of Macedonia and Independent Republic of Macedonia.

Currently, Macedonia is officially called the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM, at the UN. However, despite objections from Greece, the country still uses Republic of Macedonia in bilateral meetings.

The name dispute stems from Greece's claim that the name Macedonia, which the country chose after receiving independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, implies a territorial claim over the northern Greek province of the same name.

"The offer is a complex and seeks compromise," Nimetz said after the Athens meeting. He stressed that while the offer took into account the dignity of both sides, it includes elements that would be tough for both countries. "The offer, however, will lead to a solution," he said.

When asked whether the association with NATO was a "take it or leave it" offer, Nimetz said he understood the context but the NATO summit had nothing to do with his mandate and that he doesn't believe in take it or leave it offers.