Post by Sokol on Dec 5, 2011 17:58:05 GMT -5
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/05/macedonia-nato-eu-greece-icj?newsfeed=true
Macedonia's Nato and EU hopes given boost by international court of justice
ICJ ruling rebukes Greece for preventing Macedonia from joining Nato three years ago over long-running dispute
Macedonia's hopes of joining Nato and the EU have received a diplomatic boost following a judgment in the international court of justice (ICJ) that may help resolve the row over the state's name.
By a 15 to one majority, judges in The Hague rebuked Greece for preventing its Balkan neighbour from joining the western military alliance three years ago and "violating its obligations" through overzealous pursuit of the long-running dispute.
The problem has become embittered because Macedonia is also the name of Greece's northernmost province. The two countries have been at odds for the past 20 years over use of the name and the implied right to claim Alexander the Great as a national hero.
The near unanimous decision at the ICJ was welcomed by Macedonia's foreign minister, Nikola Poposki.
"This will increase the likelihood of prosperity and security for the region," he told the Guardian after leaving court. "Now we have an opportunity to forget frustrations from the past and move on.
"The court decision is extremely positive in terms of bringing back the rule of law. It says that we have been participating in good faith in negotiations [with Greece] and there's no single argument against [our membership] of Nato and the EU."
The ruling, he said, proved that Greece's veto of Macedonia's application to join Nato on 2008 had been illegal and warned that it should not be repeated. Poposki acknowledged that the judgment did not settle the question over his country's name but believed it would smooth the path towards a final agreement.
The ICJ refers to the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia (FYROM) – the compromise name the country has been forced to use internationally since it declared independence in 1992. More than 130 countries have nonetheless recognised it as the Republic of Macedonia.
In one significant passage the judges revealed that, during bilateral negotiations, Greece "apparently changed its initial position and in September 2007 declared that it would agree to the word 'Macedonia' being included".
The diplomatic standoff escalated when Macedonia named its main airport, outside the capital, Skopje, after the classical era hero, Alexander the Great. The ICJ judgment notes that "the renaming of an airport could not itself constitute a breach" in the negotiations between the two states.
Greece's foreign ministry said his country would review the ICJ decision. "Greece will continue to pursue negotiations in good faith to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, within the spirit and letter of the relevant resolutions of the security council and the general assembly of the United Nations," a statement said.
The only judge who voted against the violation finding was a Greek, Emmanuel Roucounas. Among those in the majority was the British judge, Christopher Greenwood QC.
British lawyers from Matrix chambers in London represented both Macedonia and Greece at the hearings. Professor Philippe Sands QC, who was counsel for Macedonia, said: "It's an opportunity for both sides to work together to resolve the dispute and move on in a way that will contribute towards Balkan stability."
Macedonia is expected to press its application for membership of Nato at the organisation's next meeting in Chicago, in 2012.
© 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Macedonia's Nato and EU hopes given boost by international court of justice
ICJ ruling rebukes Greece for preventing Macedonia from joining Nato three years ago over long-running dispute
Macedonia's hopes of joining Nato and the EU have received a diplomatic boost following a judgment in the international court of justice (ICJ) that may help resolve the row over the state's name.
By a 15 to one majority, judges in The Hague rebuked Greece for preventing its Balkan neighbour from joining the western military alliance three years ago and "violating its obligations" through overzealous pursuit of the long-running dispute.
The problem has become embittered because Macedonia is also the name of Greece's northernmost province. The two countries have been at odds for the past 20 years over use of the name and the implied right to claim Alexander the Great as a national hero.
The near unanimous decision at the ICJ was welcomed by Macedonia's foreign minister, Nikola Poposki.
"This will increase the likelihood of prosperity and security for the region," he told the Guardian after leaving court. "Now we have an opportunity to forget frustrations from the past and move on.
"The court decision is extremely positive in terms of bringing back the rule of law. It says that we have been participating in good faith in negotiations [with Greece] and there's no single argument against [our membership] of Nato and the EU."
The ruling, he said, proved that Greece's veto of Macedonia's application to join Nato on 2008 had been illegal and warned that it should not be repeated. Poposki acknowledged that the judgment did not settle the question over his country's name but believed it would smooth the path towards a final agreement.
The ICJ refers to the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia (FYROM) – the compromise name the country has been forced to use internationally since it declared independence in 1992. More than 130 countries have nonetheless recognised it as the Republic of Macedonia.
In one significant passage the judges revealed that, during bilateral negotiations, Greece "apparently changed its initial position and in September 2007 declared that it would agree to the word 'Macedonia' being included".
The diplomatic standoff escalated when Macedonia named its main airport, outside the capital, Skopje, after the classical era hero, Alexander the Great. The ICJ judgment notes that "the renaming of an airport could not itself constitute a breach" in the negotiations between the two states.
Greece's foreign ministry said his country would review the ICJ decision. "Greece will continue to pursue negotiations in good faith to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, within the spirit and letter of the relevant resolutions of the security council and the general assembly of the United Nations," a statement said.
The only judge who voted against the violation finding was a Greek, Emmanuel Roucounas. Among those in the majority was the British judge, Christopher Greenwood QC.
British lawyers from Matrix chambers in London represented both Macedonia and Greece at the hearings. Professor Philippe Sands QC, who was counsel for Macedonia, said: "It's an opportunity for both sides to work together to resolve the dispute and move on in a way that will contribute towards Balkan stability."
Macedonia is expected to press its application for membership of Nato at the organisation's next meeting in Chicago, in 2012.
© 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.