Macedonia 'Name' Solution Before EU Talks

[Prokomenos]

20 June 2008 Brussels _ “A negotiated and mutually acceptable solution on the name issue remains essential," if Skopjia is to start EU accession talks this year, the bloc warns.


For Greek Prime Minister, Costas Karamanlis, the summit conclusions are a clear signal that Skopjia cannot start accession talks with the European Union without a solution to the 'name' row between Athens and Skopje.

Furthermore the Greek premier added that the first-ever reference to the "name issue" by the EU Council is also a significant development.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa late on Thursday night admitted that Skopjia might face hurdles in beginning accession talks, despite the engagement of the Slovenian side.

"There are some conditions that need to be met which are not completely in the remit of the EU institutions," Jansa said.

Slovenia was hoping it might have the support to put on the final conclusions of the summit that EU candidate Skopjia can start accession talks before the end of this year. However, Greece objected this line demanding a solution to the 'name' row be made a condition for Skopjia's continued EU integration.

Athens objects to Skopjia's use of its constitutional name 'Republic of Macedonia' arguing it implies Skopje's territorial claims over the Greek province of the same name.

United Nations-mediated talks on the dispute have been ongoing for 17 years and relations between the two countries sank to a fresh low in April when Greece blocked Skopjia bid to join NATO because of the unresolved dispute.

Many European politicians argue the mentioning of the 'name' row is only in the spirit of good neighbourly relations which are a necessary condition for EU membership.

French president Nikola Sarkozy, who has openly admitted that he supports Greece in the dispute, told Skopjian journalists they should learn to love Greece and “advises FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - the country's provisional name adopted at the UN amid Greek opposition) to reach a compromise.”


At a press conference after the EU summit, Sarkozy said that he should have taken Skopjian journalists with him to Athens so they could see firsthand how close Greece and France are.

That is the name the name they agreed to which is FYROM. I dont like that name either but that is what they should be refered to not as Macedonia.