UN “Name” Mediator to Visit Macedonia, Greece

Matthew Nimetz

Nimetz will visit Skopje on February 20-21 to meet President Gjorge Ivanov, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki. He then plans to move onto Athens.

The meetings are to focus “on current developments related to overcoming differences in the name row with Greece, as well as the dynamics of talks in the coming period," the Macedonian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Athens and Skopje are locked in a two-decade long dispute over Macedonia's name. Citing the unresolved issue, Greece has blocked Macedonia’s progress towards both EU and NATO membership.

Greece insists that use of the term "Macedonia" by its neighbour implies a territorial claim to its own northern province of the same name.

The last round of UN-brokered talks on the issue, in New York in mid-January, produced no result. Nimetz nevertheless described the talks as "helpful" for the process.

"As we move forward, I have asked the parties to demonstrate their commitment to the resolution of their difference by promoting a positive atmosphere through their actions and public statements," Nimetz said after the talks.

His visit to the region comes ahead of the May NATO summit in Chicago. This summit is seen as the next opportunity for Macedonia to make a breakthrough on NATO membership.