Report: Macedonia, Greece Name Solution Sours

Skopje | 16 November 2009 | Sinisa-Jakov Marusic

Adamantios Vassilakis

The negotiation process has dramatically worsened during the last round of Athens-Skopje name talks in New York. Greece stepped up its demands and Macedonia offered no additional concessions, local media cite unnamed Macedonian government sources as saying.

According to A1 TV, while at the parlay with the UN name mediator Matthew Nimetz on Thursday, the Greek negotiator, Adamantios Vassilakis delivered a list of steep demands that set back efforts to find a solution.

Athens now insists its neighbor’s name be changed to the Republic of Northern Macedonia for full international use, as well as for Macedonian nationality to be specified as Northern Macedonian. Skopje has already said it would insist on preserving the Macedonian nationality classification, A1 TV said.

Moreover, Vassilakis insisted that the current use of the name Macedonia for commercial purposes is unacceptable for Greece, which requires all products bound for EU member-states to lose the Macedonia prefix and acquire the new one. The international code MK, as well as the Internet domain .mk. should also be altered, A1 says.

Citing unnamed diplomatic sources, the TV said that Nimetz has already notified the UN of this unfavorable shift in negotiations.

Macedonia wants a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue, one that preserves the identity, dignity and integrity of Macedonian citizens, the Macedonian negotiator in the name talks, Ambassador Zoran Jolevski, told Nimetz at a separate meeting in New York late Friday.

According to Macedonian media, Jolevski offered no additional concessions on Macedonia’s stance, stating that Skopje remains supportive of what has become known as the double name formula, envisaging one name to be used for interactions with Greece while maintaining the country’s current official name for wider international use. This was already rejected by Greece.

Last year, Athens blocked Skopje’s NATO accession over the 18 years-long spat. Athens insists that Skopje’s official name, the Republic of Macedonia, implies territorial claims towards its own northern province -- also called Macedonia.

The new developments come after the EU urged both sides towards a speedy compromise in order to avoid another unpleasant Greek veto in December at the EU council. It is then that Skopje hopes to acquire a date for its EU accession talks, but Athens has reiterated that this will not happen if there is no breakthrough in the name talks.

A repeat Greek blockade can be avoided, Greece’s latest stance asserts, on the condition that Skopje informs Nimetz that it agrees to change its name. In that case, all additional details would be agreed upon by early next year.

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Comments:

Fair
2009-11-16 12:06:04

Why is this not a fair deal? Greece compromised on "Macedonia", meet half way. So far there has been no compromise from FYROM only hope and pray for miracles and increasing the probability of that happening by wasting time. Continue to sit outside - Albania will be a member sooner.

What shift?
2009-11-16 12:57:13

This is no shift. "One name for all uses" was greek policy ever since Greece offered a compromise name with a geographical qualifier. None of this different names for different uses crap. This is NOT about how Greece will call FYROM; Greece is not dying to have relations with FYROM. This is about restoring sanity and telling the rest of the world that a minority of people leaving in an area that was never called Macedonia and with much weaker historical connection cannot pretend to be THE macedonians. If that stands, then they might as well call themselves Scotland, Sicily or Catalunya.

SOURS?
2009-11-16 13:31:20

I am afraid you are falsly representing Greece's old and clear position as "stepped up demands"... Republic of North Macedonia for its North Macedonian citizens, for all uses has been the Greek "red line" for over 5 years now... Besides,Greece is not alone in its position as Bulgaria,Albania, Romania and who knows who else agrees with Greece in NATO and the EU! Wake up comrades in Skopje,the Cold War is over for 20 years now!!!

Barbarian
2009-11-16 16:54:29

There is a very nice saying my Greek friends: "When crap hits the fan, crap gets all over the place". Blocking your tiny neighbor and hoping to incite civil strife is a clear strategy of trying to create proxy war as an instrument to diffuse your perceived 'threat'. Remember, this risky and reckless strategy will surely come back to bite you hard. Stop angering all of your neighbors and especially those 14 times larger and more powerful than you. Acknowledge autonomous Cypriot Turk state, give autonomy to Northern Epirus Albanians, stop claiming sovereignty over Turkish territorial waters and airspace, give freedom and recognition to the ethnic minorities living in present-day Greece, then maybe you will see the World does not have to be such an ugly place where everyone 'hates' and 'threatens' Greece, the 'cradle of democracy'. For all the talk of stealing history, you can teach Macedonians a lesson, since you are a texbook example of how to monopolize on half of the World's history. I am sure God himself is Greek too!

FRYOM
2009-11-16 17:29:50

Its VETO time. Weeeeeeeeeee Now you can watch Albania enter the EU. Gruevsky doesnot care about his people.

Republic of Macedonia
2009-11-16 23:53:45

So called Greeks should look at them selves first that they are not even what they say they are , greeks are gone long time ago you are mixture of people from Africa Turkey Albania and Vlahos(just read BLACK ATHENA) as well so just mind your business and stop lying to the world that you are real Greeks and then Macedonia is yours , Macedonia is MINE I got relatives in Agean Macedonia and they speak Macedonian like me and I am MACEDONIAN you like it or not.

the name solution
2009-11-17 00:43:43

greece, greece, greece? Utter childish behaviour. Disgraceful!

Name issue
2009-11-17 02:18:18

It is a convenient truth that our leadership continues on a path first proposed by the diaspora who have never let go of any idea to compromise. There are many of us in Macedonia who don't mind the Northern qualifier as it only demonstrates our regional location. Equally whether our passports had northern macedonians printed on them it would not change the fact that we are still Macedonians regardless of what is used. It was certainly foreseen that our leaderships current position on the issue was never going to change. Gruevski and co. don't have the metal needed to reach a compromise they are prisoners of their own megalomaniac positions at home. Many of the Macedonian community have been fed up for some time now with this whole situation especially because our governmnet is more interested in linking our modern people with some ancient (romantic & fabricated)past negating our proud Slavic origins. We are slowly being divided into 2 camps. One which our University think tanks have come to call the Delchev-Gruev camp who like these 2 prominent revolutionary leaders emphasised our Slavic heritage and the other the antiquisation camp who adhere to the illusions that we are descended from Filip and Aleksander Veliki. Gotse Delchev asserted our Slavic past in many of his writings never thinking of anything else but for the well-being of our people. What remains to be seen is whether we get into the EU, which seems more unlikely by the day.

What did Fyrom expect?
2009-11-17 03:38:07

Did Fyrom expect to accept the name Rep of Northern Macedonia and its citizens be known as Macedonians? The world needs to know who is who without confussion. At the moment things are crystal clear. We have Macedonians from Greece (who speak Greek and are Greek) and the people of FYROM, who speak slavic and have Serbo/Bulgarian heritage (and what not).

Step up demands
2009-11-17 04:44:20

What stepped up demannds....I see another veto on the horizon

Fyrom
2009-11-17 07:54:31

Fyrom does not deserve to have the name "Macedonia" in way shape or form. Greece is very generous in allowing them to be called "Republic of Northern Macedonia" it's theirs for the taking. Skopje, on the other hand does not BUDGE. Skopje , you will dig your own hole. History cannot be falsified as you are currently doing in your education system. Stick to Republic of Vardarska-Banovina. This is going back to your origins. Your origins are not connected to the ancient Macedonians who were a Greek tribe.History proves this. If Fyrom doesn't know it's own history, then they definitely don't know where they are going or who they are. Wake up and be proud of your true origins.

Macedonia != Greek
2009-11-17 09:56:24

I feel compelled to comment on the concerns of your fellow readers. Greece has *never* occupied the territory known as Macedonia before 1912. They are merely trying to be modern and justify aggression with heavy propaganda. Good luck.

...
2009-11-17 10:56:46

Support to Greece, from Belgrade.

No Change? No Solution
2009-11-17 16:30:19

I see no change in the basic Greek position, it is still the same" No Name change?= No EU and NATO! Simple.

Unprecedented
2009-11-17 16:54:59

It is quite an unprecedented move that the EU is actually watching how one of its members try to systematically deny a people of its identity. I fully agree that a compromise on the name of the COUNTRY has to be found. It is however totally shocking for me to see how Greece is trying to undermine the identity of the (FYR) Macedonian citizens. For a regional organisation claiming to be built on democratic and human rights values this is quite a blow. Change the name of the country but don't touch the identity of its people. To all those who still think this ethnicity is "made up by Tito" or the like. Why don't you just travel to Skopje or Bitola ONCE and talk to old people there... You think they were really born as Bulgarians aspeaking Bulgarian and in the age of thirty or so decided to call themselves Macedonian and "invented" a different language??? Come one, please get serious!!! As for the antiquisation discussion: This is really a ridiculous move by the current VMRO-DPMNE government. Notwithstanding if the citizens of (FYR) Macedonia are related to 100 % 50 % or 0 % to ancient Alexander they still should have the right to determine their name according to their wishes. This talk is NOT about appropriating history its about NAMES only, please don't forget that...

As a sovereign country ....
2009-11-17 19:13:07

Greece could call FYROM after a name it likes. Just like Greece does for France. We call it Gallia. So, the offer of double name formula by SlavoSkopians is empty. Except if they mean one name for internal FYROM and one name for international use. Anyway, what would happen to SlavoSkopian identity if it is called Slavomacedonian ??

Unprecedented?
2009-11-17 19:54:11

This is EXACTLY why Athens insists that Skopje’s official name, the Republic of Macedonia, implies territorial claims towards its own northern province. If the people of the FYRMacedonia call themselves Macedonians for the reasons of freedom of self expression and that we should all agree to allow them to do so, what about the people of Greece who call themselves Macedonian (and have been for millennia) and THEIR freedom of expression? Even if the name is agreed to be changed, the nationalists in the FYROM will still continue to demand the enosis of the imaginary “Greater Macedonia” with Greek territory in question of irredentist claims…How can they people of Fyrom who are Slavs by customs, culture, language and ethnicity want to be called something exclusively they are not? The so-called identity the previous poster is claiming the EU member is trying to "systematically deny" a people is an identity which thousands of peices of historical documentation tells us is fabricated by extreme nationalists. They also claim that the Greek Province of Macedonia is occupied by a foreign power and that Greeks were never the same as Macedonians contrary to historical facts. The govt of FYROM is obviously a leftover remnants of the communist state of Yugoslavia and still haven't moved on after the death of communism in the region...their stubborn stance, antiquation attempts and historical revisionism is notoriously obvious to anybody who knows their history...ask ALL the neighbors of FYROM and they'll agree with Greece...The rest of the world needs additional education on the issue...what's the problem here? I is the Gruevski regime who is trying to undermine and usurp another's history...there are two camps in their own country putting the educated people against the brainwashed.

Bitola
2009-11-18 01:13:12

As a Bulgarian living in Bitola I have to say Mr. Shuxx you have not been there or you have been talking to the wrong people. Bitloa has a large Bulgarian community who is proud of their Macedonian heritage. You look only in one direction and that is the direction you choose to look. We have many Macedonians who are proud of their Bulgarian origins and live especially in Bitola, Ohrid, Prilep, Krushevo, Strumica. As our leader Delchev reminded his people at the turn of the century, "our Bulgarian fathers will be watching how well we act in our Macedonian lands." Tito only created a Yugoslav identity not a Macedonian one his intentions have since been uncovered. The Bulgarian background of the people of Macedonia was such a threat to Tito that he had to create a yugoslav state to appease and detach elements among the strong VMRO who at the time were pursuing closer cooperation with Sofia. Yes Proud to be a Macedonian of Bulgarian origins. Our Slavic forebears will always remain with us while the Aleksander Veliki believers will remain the constant laughing stock of our nation. Delchev for all the Bulgarians of Macedonia and Aleksander Veliki for all the Yugoslavs of Macedonia.

Greece's true face
2009-11-18 05:04:58

The latest Greek proposal shows that Greece's objections to Macedonia's rightful constitutional name is nothing other than an attempt to commit ethnocide on ethnic Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and Serbia and Kosovo. There is only one word for this ludicrous proposal -FASCISM. Long live the Republic of Macedonia and the true Macedonians. Bring on the veto Greeks. It will only be another weapon to use against you in the case at the ICJ in the Hague and another reason to finally win the battle for our name against Greek and Bulgarian usurpers at the UN.

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Report: Macedonia, Greece Name Solution Sours