Macedonia Committed to EU and NATO Future

Skopje | 08 February 2010 | Sinisa-Jakov Marusic

Georgi Ivanov

There is no alternative to Macedonia's EU and NATO future, Macedonian President Georgi Ivanov said Sunday after the completion of the Munich Security Conference.

While the name row with Greece hampers this perspective, he said his country was doing everything in its power to overcome the obstacle.

"Although prevented by a policy of absurdity and force, we are doing everything we can to unblock these processes," stressed Ivanov.

Greece has blocked Macedonia from entering the two organisations because of the name of its neighbor. Athens insists that the name, Republic of Macedonia, implies territorial claims against its own northern province, also called Macedonia.

On the sidelines of the conference, Ivanov met several representatives of the US administration to discuss his country's accession to NATO and its participation in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, local news agency MIA reported.

Ivanov also met British Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, with whom he discussed bilateral cooperation in the Euro-integration sector, as well as the UK's support to the Macedonian army.

Talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov focused on bilateral economic cooperation and its enhancement.

A UN name mediator, Matthew Nimetz, is scheduled to visit Skopje and Athens by the end of February in a bid to initiate a fresh round of name talks.

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Comments:

Everything?
2010-02-08 18:46:27

Macedonia is doing everything except trying to solve the name issue with Greece, and get itself into NATO and the EU. Macedonia does everything the Americans and EU tells them to, but still doesn't gain membership in those clubs. They left and Middle class citizens in Yugoslavia and are now impoverished! They are not moving forward because they have no plan except to survive. They forget that making up history to survive doesn't work in the Balkans, and like Albanians they only create falsity and mythology. Macedonia is Greek, and Kosovo is Serbian!

Dilusional
2010-02-09 02:15:35

FYRO "Macedonians" are Bulgarians. Kosova is Albanian. Long before Slavs invaded, it was Albanian. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Serbian_greater_expansion_1913.png Serbia are the ones who came up with terms like greater! Learn 3rd party history books, not those printed in Belgrade!

Protest
2010-02-12 16:47:40

As a protest Macedonia should call it self "X". Greece would not be able to complain and then EU and NATO membership would soon follow. Meanwhile, Greece would be unable to join the EU with the current requirements that the EU is placing on new members. Greece should be kicked out of the EU.

Milan know's nothing knows nothing
2010-02-12 20:49:10

Kosovo seceded from Serbia illegally. You disregard the fact that Serbia was prepared to negotiate and offer autonomy for Kosovo because of its ethnic makeup. You fail to realize that Albanians are not playing by the rules because all they want is a "Greater Albania" FACT. This is not even pushed only by Albanian fascists, but by your politicians as well and openly.

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Dancing Alexander-style, Down Under

Macedonia Committed to EU and NATO Future