Neither Greece nor Macedonia happy with latest Nimetz plan

30/10/2008

Officials in Athens and Skopje have responded critically to a new proposal by UN special envoy Matthew Nimetz, saying it requires significant changes.

By Marina Stojanovska for Southeast European Times in Skopje -- 30/10/08

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Stuart Jones (left) speaks at a press conference with Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki in Skopje on Tuesday (October 28th). [Tomislav Georgiev]

Macedonia has presented UN special envoy Matthew Nimetz with its official response to his latest set of ideas for a solution to the name dispute with Greece. These entail using the name "Republic of Northern Macedonia" internationally and "North Macedonia" at the UN. The constitutional name, "Republic of Macedonia", would be used domestically.

"We set out and reaffirmed Macedonia's arguments based on its national interests," Macedonian representative Nikola Dimitrov said on Wednesday (October 29th) after meeting with Nimetz. Due to the "exceptional importance" of the issue, he declined to reveal details.

Both President Branko Crvenkovski and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, however, have already commented that the latest Nimetz proposals cannot be a solid basis for a solution without considerable changes.

On Wednesday, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said the new set of ideas was "not satisfactory as it stands" and that several points were unacceptable, problematic or unclear.

"Only after the necessary clarifications and corrections can this document become the basis for reaching a solution," Bakoyannis told the Greek parliament's defence and foreign affairs committee.

The latest developments come amid a flurry of international activity aimed at getting the two sides to resolve the long-running dispute. On Tuesday, US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried urged Skopje to accept the compromise put forward by Nimetz or face international isolation.

"Accept this proposal and secure a brighter future for you and your children," Fried told a group of Macedonian reporters visiting Washington.

On Monday, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Stuart Jones arrived in Skopje for talks with Crvenkovski, Gruevski and Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki. He reassured the Macedonian leaders that Washington continues to back their country's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which a Greek veto has put on ice for the time being.

"The US position is clear. We are supporting Macedonia's accession to NATO -- a position also presented by President George Bush at the last NATO summit in Bucharest," Jones said at a press conference with Milososki on Tuesday.

Milososki told him that Macedonia is "dedicated to solving the name dispute with its own interests and approach" and "wishes for the dispute to be overcome when the moment for its solution comes".