Steinberg: Macedonia Should Focus On Future

Speaking for VOA's Macedonian language edition, Steinberg said that the reward “is a solid future within NATO and the EU”.

The US official said he understands the difficulties that the Macedonian prime minister is facing when confronted with the tough choices ahead. However he stressed that only bold decisions on his part would move the process forward and bring an end to the 18 year long dispute.

Steinberg expressed support for the ongoing UN-led talks between Skopje and Athens and particularly endorsed the role the UN mediator Matthew Nimetz is playing in bringing the two sides closer towards a solution.

He said that the US administration would “gladly exchange ideas and encourage both sides” in efforts to reach a deal.

Steinberg noted that the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou already sent a positive signal with his vision of the Balkans' integration into the European Union by 2014, showing that he truly supports Macedonia's future within the EU and NATO.

After years of relative calmness the name row escalated in 2008 when Athens, citing the unresolved issue, blocked Skopje’s invitation to join NATO. It made a similar move last year when Macedonia hoped to get a start date for its EU accession talks.

Athens insists that the name Republic of Macedonia implies territorial claims against its own northern territory, which is also called Macedonia.

The EU Council of Ministers last autumn decided that it would re-examine the issue of a start date to accession talks in the first half of this year. Without a solution to the name spat, however, it remains unclear whether the country will be granted the desired date at the forthcoming EU summit, which begins in Brussels on June 17.

Local media speculate that Macedonia might be offered one more proposal before the summit. There are reports that the name 'Republic of Northern Macedonia' will be proposed, but without an obligation for the countries that already recognised Skopje by its constitutional name to apply the changes.

Some 120 countries including the USA, China and Russia, have recognised Macedonia’s official name.