UN Talks Fail to Yield New Macedonia Proposal

Matthew Nimetz instead urged both sides to continue building mutual trust and understanding so they can more easily reach a compromise, he said after the talks in New York late on Sunday.

"There is an increased sense of confidence that the problem can be resolved with dialogue at very high level between the leadership of the countries," Nimetz told reporters.

He described the perceived change in atmosphere as being a “very positive development”.

Nimetz declined to speculate on whether a solution could be found by November or December so that Skopje could get the go-ahead this year for the start of its EU accession talks and NATO entry.

Macedonian name negotiator, Zoran Jolevski, told the media that, at the meeting, President Ivanov had reaffirmed Macedonia’s commitment towards finding a solution.

Nimetz will also hold talks with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas later on Monday.

No direct contacts between the Macedonian and Greek delegations visiting New York for the 65th UN General Assembly session have been announced.

Macedonian PM Nikola Gruevski had previously said he would not go to the New York session, dismissing media speculation he could meet his Greek colleague, George Papandreou, who is attending.

Athens and Skopje have been locked in the dispute over the use of the name Macedonia for almost two decades.

Athens insists that Skopje’s official name, the Republic of Macedonia, implies territorial claims against its own northern province, also called Macedonia.

In 2008, Greece blocked Macedonia’s NATO accession pending a solution to the dispute.

Last December, Athens also blocked Skopje from getting a start date for its EU accession talks, despite a positive recommendation from the European Commission.

EU and NATO officials have been clear that, without a solution to the dispute, Macedonian cannot make progress towards EU membership.