Greece Reiterates “Red Line” For Macedonia

Skopje | 10 November 2009 | Sinisa-Jakov Marusic

George Papandreou

Macedonia’s EU and NATO accession will be possible only after the country reaches a solution with Greece on the name issue, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou told the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday in Berlin.

The meeting was held at the initiative of the Greek side to better present Athens' positions, Greece’s state news agency ANA-MPA reports.

Stressing that "Greece is playing a leading role in the Balkans again and desires to contribute decisively to (the region's) EU accession course,” Papandreou, who also acts as Greek Foreign Minister, reiterated that for Macedonia there are preconditions.

“The Greek prime minister made it absolutely clear that a precondition for FYROM’s [Macedonia’s UN provisional reference] accession course is the solving of the neighbouring country's name, in accordance with "national red lines" that have been set on the part of Greece”, ANA-MPA said.

Athens previously said it would insist on a composite name for Skopje with a geographical qualifier for all uses without exception.

Last year Athens blocked Skopje’s NATO accession due to the 18 years long row. Athens argues that Skopje’s constitutional name Republic of Macedonia implies territorial claims towards Greece’s own northern province which is also called Macedonia.

Papandreou who was seen as less hawkish about the name issue than his predecessor Kostas Caramanlis, won last month elections in Greece. His victory, along with the European Commission recommendation for Macedonia to start EU accession talks that also came in October,were seen as a chance for a fresh start in the hope of finding solution to the row.

Senior EU and US diplomats have encouraged both sides towards compromise before December’s EU council in which Skopje hopes to get a date for its accession talks. Athens, who has a right to veto, said it would block this if there is no breakthrough in the talks.

The UN mediator in the row, Matthew Nimetz has summoned a fresh round of the solution seeking talks for 16 November. Local media say that some variations of a compound name Northern Macedonia are still on the table at the UN talks.

Papandreou also yp;f Clinton about his initiative for an informal acquaintance meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, which took place in Brussels recently.

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Comments:

VETO
2009-11-10 23:46:14

They should change their name to West Bulgaria or Bulgarian Macedonia... Come home our lost brothers!

Name Issue
2009-11-11 05:44:43

We are ready for compromise. The Macedonian Youth hope that our leaders are courages enough to show mutual responsibility. Our Slavic past should never be a point of contention. Those jingoists who continue to live among us with dreams of an ancient past are slowly dripping away into the sea of the non-sensical. It is time to show we can do it. The EU is more important for us today than ever before. Our diaspora brothers will come around once they realise they have no say if they don't live here. You can only be affected if your an unemployed Macedonian like our 41%. Time is on our side finally, make the right choice.

Bulgaria veto
2009-11-11 11:39:55

Now the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Parvanov is threatening a veto because of minority claims in Southwest Bulgaria.

Red Lines
2009-11-11 12:44:29

“The Greek prime minister made it absolutely clear that a precondition for FYROM’s [Macedonia’s UN provisional reference] accession course is the solving of the neighbouring country's name, in accordance with "national red lines" that have been set on the part of Greece”, ANA-MPA said Are you reading those lines Fyromians?

Stop the negotiations
2009-11-11 15:35:54

Under this conditions (absolute blackmail) it is not possible Macedonia to contionue negotiations. Simply is not possible to change the name and the identity. And if EU and NATO will support such a nazi assimilation, then this will cause the majority of the people in Macedonia to ask from the Government, the euroatlantic integration of the country to be stoped.

FOROGians
2009-11-12 00:37:17

yes we do read the red lines my dear FOROGians (former Ottoman republic of greece)...... and soon you'd be reading to........

just macedonia
2009-11-12 04:22:01

The only comments i can see are from ultra national greek and bulgarian . Macedonia has a name and greece and bulgaria have part of macedonia .

red what?
2009-11-12 10:59:28

greek behaviour: shameful and absurd. EU total unprecedented stupidity for supporting a schoolyard bully.

2009-11-11
2009-11-12 15:00:35

If FRYOM wishes to stop negotiations with Nato and EU so be it. Everyone has a choice, certainly no Greek/Macedonian is going to lose any sleep over it. The just you can have a front seat watching your country torn apart and the rest of the Balkans move light years ahead of you. Isn't it better to compromise after 18 years of procrastination?

GREECE REITATATES RED LINE FOR ''MACEDONIA''
2009-11-12 16:41:01

Greek position on the matter is wise and modest.Greece has nothing to be ashamed of.Greece defends her legitimate vital national interests as any other nation in the world.

Red Line
2009-11-12 19:32:36

Macedonias red line means,not to lose our ethnicity,Greeces red line is,not to recognise the Macedonian minority within its borders.greeces complaint of borders,dont you remember in 1995?Macedonia signed an agreement on present borders.It is absurd Greece to claim otherwise,or to pretend that the Republic of Macedonia has any design other than to live in peace with its neighbours.For the Bulgarians who claim Macedonians are Bulgarians;you are dreamers.The Macedonians are not Tartars like yourselfs.Stop your expensionist dreams.We gave you light,the Cyrilic alphabet.greeces and your claims on Macedonia and its people are a MYTH!

Macedonia
2009-11-12 21:03:05

Northern Macedonia is good with me. I'm Slav from Bitola and have nothing to do with Aleksander history. We want NATO and EU no be poor.

Prepare for a DOUBLE VETO!
2009-11-12 22:16:46

More VETOS to come for you are "friends" Skopians if you continue to be nationalistic against Greece and Bulgaria. Dont forget that Bulgaria is in EU so prepare for A DOUBLE BALKANIAN VETO !!! xaxaxaxaxaxaxaxaxaxa yea!!! Macedonia is Greek NEVER SKOPIAN

Vardar Republic?
2009-11-12 22:30:50

Can someone tell me what is wron with Vardar Republic, Vardarska, or any derivative thereof? It's geographically descriptive, it is historically descriptive (it was the name of the republic in the early 20th century), it does not alienate ethnic groups such as Albanians, it does not imply any territorial claims on its neighbors.

Never (Only) Makedonija
2009-11-12 23:28:13

Then, if all of you citizens of FYROM say that it is not possible to change your country's constitutional name, then why did you sign the interim agreement, that supposed a negotiation with a change of the name? This is nonsense!

EU entry at the brink
2009-11-13 14:52:35

Reality is not always easy to deal with. FYRM is a new nation in the Balkans. There never was a nation of Macedonia, only a region. The language spoken is Bulgarian, but written with the Serb alphabet. The ancient Macedonians were Greek, and were in the balkans 1000 years before the slavs entered the area. To claim that the slavs were the ancient Macedonians is not realistic. To claim that the country lies in part of ancient Macedonia, and thus there are links to ancient Greek Macedonia is fine. But the Greek part must be acknowledged by the government is Skopje. Not acknowledging the Greek part is an attempt to revise history. Similarly, Czar Samuel was Bulgarian. How is it that he has become the founder of Slav Macedonia but not Bulgaria? How is it that the folk songs of Bulgaria and FYRM are the same? How is it that the Albanians are expected to be citizens in a country that is more, and more, looking to push them to the fringes of the society? Stop playing the victims, and move forward in an attempt to become more prosperous, not backwards and more nationalistic.

Peter - Red Lines
2009-11-13 15:02:36

An assault on your neighbours'cultures is a red line. History, folklore, and culture are all part of nationhood - and when one attempts to steal it a red line is drawn. Now, why is it that the claims that are made by FYRM nationalists about your independent historical nation contradict the history of your neighbours, international academia, primary documents/archaelogical findings, and even your own peoples folksongs and language? You may no longer consider yourselves Bulgarians, and may have a national consciouness that you are an independent "Macedonian" nation. This does not mean you can steal the achievements, history, historical figures/heroes, and culture of your neighbours to create a national identity. Now, I would think that future prosperity, and economic development should be your first concerns, especially if you love your children and your country. As for the rest, if you wish to share, ask your neighbours and compromise. If you wish to steal, veto!

New name
2009-11-15 23:30:55

If a new name can bring us a new beginning for my family in Macedonia, then lets find solution. This is a stupid argument with nationalists on all sides (Greek, Albanian, Bulgarian, and Macedonian) arguing about things that are not important. Macedonia is a poor country in Europ, only richer than Albania. The Albanians want us to become a federation, but that is dangerous because we saw what happens in Kosovo. Albania is growing in the Balkan, and every one else is now shrinking. They will be a big power in Macedonia in the future (with help from Albania and Kosovo) and I don't want war for my family in Macedonia. We can call the country North Macedonia, but help the country stay together in peace.

Red Line
2009-11-16 17:30:53

Reality check,you dont seam to understand few things.Historicly Macedonia existed centuries before the Tatars came to the Balkans.secondly,Greece did not exist before 1834.Lets go to todays events as early as 1913.Both these pseudo countries who claim we the Macedonians are one and the same as you,how do you explain this?Both your countries claims are absurd, dont you think?Lets supose Macedonia accepts "Northern Republic of Macedonia"will Greece accept "Southern Macedonia"and Bulgaria "Eastern Macedonia"?If this is acceptable to you,I see no reason why I cant accept.Geographical Macedonia is Macedonian,populated by Macedonians,and before 1913 we have been invaded by our neighbours constantly in the name of to help the Macedonian people to break the Ottoman rulers.What has happened is,we ended up with worse masters than the previous.At least,the Ottomans did not stopped us from speaking our mother language,no names were changed,churches were free to preach in Macedonian unlike you today in the 21st century.Yes, the red line is for me to be a ethnic Macedonian with the macedonian language,customs etc.I want my freedom as you do,what is wrong with this?You people make comments over Macedonia that you yourselfs would not accept when others make.Ethnicity cannot change,even if I wanted to.The only thing can change is,religion,citizenship,even personal name,but never ethnicity.

free world
2009-11-16 18:57:22

the discussions are not 18 years old they are 200 years old. the macedonian people are figting so long to get their own nationality. ok, this ancient macedonia thing is the evening filling bullshit for the stupid people. but one thing was ever the problem of bulgaria, greece and serbia in the region - if you asked a slav in the last 200 years:" are you serb, slavonik or bulgarian?" he answered:"no!" so please tell me my bulgarian, serbian or greek brother, do you have the right to tell me who i am? this is a problem of our understanding for democracy - big balkan problem. (sorry for my bad english, hope you understand what i mean)

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Greece Reiterates “Red Line” For Macedonia