GoG On Latest Nimetz Proposals, Language Issue
2009-07-20
C O N F I D E N T I A L
1. (C) SUMMARY: Greece's chief negotiator in the UN-led talks on
the Macedonia name issue, Adamantios Vassilakis, briefed NATO and
EU ambassadors July 17 on the GoG reaction to mediator Matthew
Nimetz's most recent proposals. Nimetz visited Athens July 7-9 and
met separately with FM Dora Bakoyiannis and PASOK opposition leader
George Papandreou. Vassilakis reiterated the GoG's redlines: a
compound name with a clear geographical qualifier, applicable in
all cases (erga omnes). He referred participants to three speech
excerpts from PM Karamanlis and FM Bakoyannis as the definitive
word on the Greek position, and he said the GoG would respond
officially to Nimetz within two weeks. He characterized the
proposed name Republic of North Macedonia as "in the right
direction," but said that the application of the name would be the
key issue. Asked whether he was optimistic, Vassilakis stated that
there was no timetable for the talks and he regretted to say that
in his view we were not at the point where there was enough
confidence between the sides to permit movement. The issue had
been open for 20 years, he said, and if people expected movement
without a substantive change from Skopje, they were fooling
themselves. However, he also said Greece really does want to solve
the problem, and when it is solved, his government would be ready
to reach out to the Macedonians with favorable visa, trade and
other initiatives. END SUMMARY.
------------------------------
POSSIBLE FLEXIBILITY ON ERGA OMNES
------------------------------
2. (C) While Vassilakis was clear to state that Greece's position
(a compound name with a geographic qualifier and use in all
international cases) had not changed, his responses to questions
suggested possible flexibility on erga omnes usage. One ambassador
asked whether third-party countries would be pressured to use the
new name in bilateral relations; Vassilakis responded that the name
should be "used everywhere" but each bilateral relationship, of
course, would be based on the principle of mutual agreement and
"Greece did not have a recipe" for all of these instances. Another
ambassador asked whether erga omnes meant that Macedonia would be
required to use the new name domestically. "I didn't say that,"
Vassilakis replied. He then noted that Nimetz proposed in October
2008 that Macedonia continue to use its constitutional name
internally, but that the "full package" would have to be good
enough for the Greeks to accept this.
---------------------------
"MAKEDONSKI" ON THE UN CARD
---------------------------
3. (C) On language and identity, Vassilakis stated that the name
used on the United Nations card ("Macedonian") is not a technical
issue, but rather went to the heart of the dispute. He suggested
that Macedonia's UN card refer to the language as "MAKEDONSKI"
rather than "Macedonian" in English. For passports, he recalled
that at one time the GoG had suggested that including the Cyrillic
spelling, Republika MAKEDONSKI, would be a possibility--citing EU
usage of national languages as a precedent. (Note: The EU's website
lists Greece as "Ellada" in both Latin and Greek script, Bulgaria
in Latin and Cyrillic, "Ceska Republika," etc. End note).
4. (C) COMMENT: While Vassilakis was careful to tone down any
sense of optimism in his briefing, it was interesting to note the
slight opening he presented in suggesting that Greece will have no
way of ensuring that all countries use the name in bilateral usage.
However, this should be taken with a grain of salt. The Greeks are
still firm in believing that any solution will need to be adopted
the Macedonia name issue, Adamantios Vassilakis, briefed NATO and
EU ambassadors July 17 on the GoG reaction to mediator Matthew
Nimetz's most recent proposals. Nimetz visited Athens July 7-9 and
met separately with FM Dora Bakoyiannis and PASOK opposition leader
George Papandreou. Vassilakis reiterated the GoG's redlines: a
compound name with a clear geographical qualifier, applicable in
all cases (erga omnes). He referred participants to three speech
excerpts from PM Karamanlis and FM Bakoyannis as the definitive
word on the Greek position, and he said the GoG would respond
officially to Nimetz within two weeks. He characterized the
proposed name Republic of North Macedonia as "in the right
direction," but said that the application of the name would be the
key issue. Asked whether he was optimistic, Vassilakis stated that
there was no timetable for the talks and he regretted to say that
in his view we were not at the point where there was enough
confidence between the sides to permit movement. The issue had
been open for 20 years, he said, and if people expected movement
without a substantive change from Skopje, they were fooling
themselves. However, he also said Greece really does want to solve
the problem, and when it is solved, his government would be ready
to reach out to the Macedonians with favorable visa, trade and
other initiatives. END SUMMARY.
------------------------------
POSSIBLE FLEXIBILITY ON ERGA OMNES
------------------------------
2. (C) While Vassilakis was clear to state that Greece's position
(a compound name with a geographic qualifier and use in all
international cases) had not changed, his responses to questions
suggested possible flexibility on erga omnes usage. One ambassador
asked whether third-party countries would be pressured to use the
new name in bilateral relations; Vassilakis responded that the name
should be "used everywhere" but each bilateral relationship, of
course, would be based on the principle of mutual agreement and
"Greece did not have a recipe" for all of these instances. Another
ambassador asked whether erga omnes meant that Macedonia would be
required to use the new name domestically. "I didn't say that,"
Vassilakis replied. He then noted that Nimetz proposed in October
2008 that Macedonia continue to use its constitutional name
internally, but that the "full package" would have to be good
enough for the Greeks to accept this.
---------------------------
"MAKEDONSKI" ON THE UN CARD
---------------------------
3. (C) On language and identity, Vassilakis stated that the name
used on the United Nations card ("Macedonian") is not a technical
issue, but rather went to the heart of the dispute. He suggested
that Macedonia's UN card refer to the language as "MAKEDONSKI"
rather than "Macedonian" in English. For passports, he recalled
that at one time the GoG had suggested that including the Cyrillic
spelling, Republika MAKEDONSKI, would be a possibility--citing EU
usage of national languages as a precedent. (Note: The EU's website
lists Greece as "Ellada" in both Latin and Greek script, Bulgaria
in Latin and Cyrillic, "Ceska Republika," etc. End note).
4. (C) COMMENT: While Vassilakis was careful to tone down any
sense of optimism in his briefing, it was interesting to note the
slight opening he presented in suggesting that Greece will have no
way of ensuring that all countries use the name in bilateral usage.
However, this should be taken with a grain of salt. The Greeks are
still firm in believing that any solution will need to be adopted
