"Name row" envoy to visit Greece, Macedonia

The UN mediator in the ‘name row’ will visit Greece on Friday, a day after meeting Macedonian leaders in Skopje. The UN's press service made the announcement. "Name row" envoy to visit Greece, Macedonia This ends uncertainty over whether mediator Mathew Nimetz will visit Greece after his stay in the Macedonian capital. Local media have reported in recent days that Athens noted to the envoy it has nothing new to say to him. According to reports, Nimetz is traveling to Skopje to hear Macedonia’s stand on his latest ideas for solving the dispute expressed at the meeting in New York last week. These ideas have not been revealed to the public. Afterwards, he will be headed for Thessaloniki, Greece to consult the Greek side. Meanwhile, local A1 TV cites unnamed United States diplomats as saying that if a solution to the 17-year-long dispute is not reach within the next two months the issue could linger on for a long time. They argue that both Athens and Skopje lack the capacity to solve the row on their own without U.S. pressure and that after the U.S. Presidential elections, the new administration in Washington could lose interest in the row. Some media in both countries suggest Athens could try to stall the talks for after the U.S. elections as the current Washington policy does not favor Greece. In April Athens blocked Skopje’s invitation to join NATO arguing that Skopje’s name could lead it to make territorial claims on Greece’s own northern province which is also called Macedonia. Greece is also threatening to block Macedonia’s accession to the European Union.

"Name row" envoy to visit Greece, Macedonia

This ends uncertainty over whether mediator Mathew Nimetz will visit Greece after his stay in the Macedonian capital. Local media have reported in recent days that Athens noted to the envoy it has nothing new to say to him.

According to reports, Nimetz is traveling to Skopje to hear Macedonia’s stand on his latest ideas for solving the dispute expressed at the meeting in New York last week. These ideas have not been revealed to the public.

Afterwards, he will be headed for Thessaloniki, Greece to consult the Greek side.

Meanwhile, local A1 TV cites unnamed United States diplomats as saying that if a solution to the 17-year-long dispute is not reach within the next two months the issue could linger on for a long time.

They argue that both Athens and Skopje lack the capacity to solve the row on their own without U.S. pressure and that after the U.S. Presidential elections, the new administration in Washington could lose interest in the row.

Some media in both countries suggest Athens could try to stall the talks for after the U.S. elections as the current Washington policy does not favor Greece.

In April Athens blocked Skopje’s invitation to join NATO arguing that Skopje’s name could lead it to make territorial claims on Greece’s own northern province which is also called Macedonia.

Greece is also threatening to block Macedonia’s accession to the European Union.