Macedonia leaders devise 'name' reply

Macedonia’s president and PM are to hold another meeting today to discuss Skopje’s reply to the latest UN proposal on settling the “name row” with Greece. It is not clear whether this time President Branko Crvenkovski and Premier Nikola Gruevski will come out with a joint stand after the meeting. Macedonia leaders devise 'name' reply Last week the two agreed not to come out with an official answer to the latest proposal tabled by the United Nations mediator in the row, Mathew Nimetz on October 8 in New York. However, both Gruevski and Crvenkovski, in unofficial statements previously given to local media pointed out that Nimetz’s plan needs to undergo “serious changes” if it is to become a basis for a solution. Local media meanwhile cite unnamed sources close to both cabinets as saying that Skopje would probably not reject the proposal but rather give Nimetz a set of remarks on the issues that it considers problematic. According to the media from both countries, Nimetz envisaged a wider international use of the name “Republic of Northern Macedonia” for Macedonia and guarantees for protecting Macedonian nationality and language. Athens has not come forward with an official stance on the proposal. Local media speculate that Greece is awaiting Macedonia’s answer first. Senior European Union, NATO and United States officials have suggested that both sides look carefully into the latest proposal in order to reach a deal that would end the 17 year-long old dispute that since April has left Macedonia out of NATO. In April, Athens blocked Skopje’s bid to join NATO and is now threatening to do the same at the EU if Macedonia refuses to change its name. Greece argues that Macedonia’s name implies Skopje’s territorial claims over its own northern province of the same name.

Macedonia leaders devise 'name' reply

Last week the two agreed not to come out with an official answer to the latest proposal tabled by the United Nations mediator in the row, Mathew Nimetz on October 8 in New York.

However, both Gruevski and Crvenkovski, in unofficial statements previously given to local media pointed out that Nimetz’s plan needs to undergo “serious changes” if it is to become a basis for a solution.

Local media meanwhile cite unnamed sources close to both cabinets as saying that Skopje would probably not reject the proposal but rather give Nimetz a set of remarks on the issues that it considers problematic.

According to the media from both countries, Nimetz envisaged a wider international use of the name “Republic of Northern Macedonia” for Macedonia and guarantees for protecting Macedonian nationality and language.

Athens has not come forward with an official stance on the proposal. Local media speculate that Greece is awaiting Macedonia’s answer first.

Senior European Union, NATO and United States officials have suggested that both sides look carefully into the latest proposal in order to reach a deal that would end the 17 year-long old dispute that since April has left Macedonia out of NATO.

In April, Athens blocked Skopje’s bid to join NATO and is now threatening to do the same at the EU if Macedonia refuses to change its name. Greece argues that Macedonia’s name implies Skopje’s territorial claims over its own northern province of the same name.