Post by depletedreasons on Mar 27, 2008 7:09:46 GMT -5
Greece dissatisfied with UN proposal on FYROM name dispute
Posted: March 26, 2008 at 11:04 AM EST (16:04 PM GMT)
ATHENS/NEW YORK -- Greece expressed Wednesday its dissatisfaction with a new proposal in the Macedonia name dispute put forward by the United Nations. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis said the new proposal unveiled to negotiators from Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in New York by UN special mediator Matthew Nimetz "is far from the goals sought by Greece."
Athens made the comments after a new proposal was put forward on Tuesday by Nimetz in an effort to find a solution to the longstanding dispute between Greece and FYROM over the former Yugoslav republic's name.
The UN proposal is the Republic of Macedonia (Skopje) to distinguish the Balkan country from the northern province of Greece.
The name is to be written in Cyrillic script.
Nimetz said that he had proposed a "logical compromise" during negotiations Tuesday in New York with Greek and FYROM representatives, but he did not say what name he had suggested, according to a UN spokesman.
Nimetz had recently proposed alternates like New Republic of Macedonia, Upper Macedonia or the Republic of Macedonia (Skopje).
The mediator told reporters the two countries were unable to reach a compromise, but he offered his services for further mediation.
Greece has threatened to veto FYROM's upcoming bid to join NATO over the use of the name, which it has objected to since FYROM gained independence in 1991 on the grounds it could imply claims on the northern Greek province of Macedonia and could destabilize the region.
"Greece's position is clear, and I do not need to repeat it. However, I will say it again: If there is no mutually acceptable solution on the name, Greece cannot consent to allied relations with Skopje," Bakoyiannis told journalists.
Asked whether the latest proposal had been Nimetz's final proposal, Bakoyiannis replied that "there are no final proposals in negotiations."
The name dispute between Greece and its neighbour broke out shortly after FYROM gained independence. The former Yugoslav Republic is called FYROM at the United Nations, but the United States and more than 100 countries have recognized it as Macedonia.
NATO foreign ministers will hold a summit in Bucharest on April 2- 4 to determine whether to issue invitations to FYROM, Albania and Croatia.
The United States urged the two sides on Tuesday to resolve their dispute before the NATO summit.
"The time factor is a forcing event and ... they should be coming together to work this out before we get to NATO," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
DPA
phantis.com/news/?newsID=20080326105938
edit.
Title edited as per U.N agreement. Recognised as FYROM by the U.N
.
Posted: March 26, 2008 at 11:04 AM EST (16:04 PM GMT)
ATHENS/NEW YORK -- Greece expressed Wednesday its dissatisfaction with a new proposal in the Macedonia name dispute put forward by the United Nations. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis said the new proposal unveiled to negotiators from Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in New York by UN special mediator Matthew Nimetz "is far from the goals sought by Greece."
Athens made the comments after a new proposal was put forward on Tuesday by Nimetz in an effort to find a solution to the longstanding dispute between Greece and FYROM over the former Yugoslav republic's name.
The UN proposal is the Republic of Macedonia (Skopje) to distinguish the Balkan country from the northern province of Greece.
The name is to be written in Cyrillic script.
Nimetz said that he had proposed a "logical compromise" during negotiations Tuesday in New York with Greek and FYROM representatives, but he did not say what name he had suggested, according to a UN spokesman.
Nimetz had recently proposed alternates like New Republic of Macedonia, Upper Macedonia or the Republic of Macedonia (Skopje).
The mediator told reporters the two countries were unable to reach a compromise, but he offered his services for further mediation.
Greece has threatened to veto FYROM's upcoming bid to join NATO over the use of the name, which it has objected to since FYROM gained independence in 1991 on the grounds it could imply claims on the northern Greek province of Macedonia and could destabilize the region.
"Greece's position is clear, and I do not need to repeat it. However, I will say it again: If there is no mutually acceptable solution on the name, Greece cannot consent to allied relations with Skopje," Bakoyiannis told journalists.
Asked whether the latest proposal had been Nimetz's final proposal, Bakoyiannis replied that "there are no final proposals in negotiations."
The name dispute between Greece and its neighbour broke out shortly after FYROM gained independence. The former Yugoslav Republic is called FYROM at the United Nations, but the United States and more than 100 countries have recognized it as Macedonia.
NATO foreign ministers will hold a summit in Bucharest on April 2- 4 to determine whether to issue invitations to FYROM, Albania and Croatia.
The United States urged the two sides on Tuesday to resolve their dispute before the NATO summit.
"The time factor is a forcing event and ... they should be coming together to work this out before we get to NATO," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
DPA
phantis.com/news/?newsID=20080326105938
edit.
Title edited as per U.N agreement. Recognised as FYROM by the U.N
.