What's in a name? Greek message to FYROM

Greece's newest messages on FYROMacedonia name dispute
by Thesprotis
BUT IT'S NOT ONLY THE NAME!
The name "Republic of Northern Macedonia", as suggested in 2008 by UN mediator Matthew Nimetz, would be a good solution to the dispute between Athens and Skopje over the use of the name FYROMacedonia, a Skopje-based newspaper quoted Greece's ambassador in Washington as saying.

Utrinski Vesnik said on April 15 2008 that Greek ambassador to Washington Alexandros Mallias had made the comment during a conference on US policy in the Balkans.

"Finally, in the talks with Skopje about the name of the northern neighbour there is a good proposal on the table," Mallias was quoted as saying by Utrinski Vesnik, according to a report by Bulgarian news agency Focus.

He said that Greece supported the name "Republic of Northern Macedonia".

On April 11, Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis issued an unequivocal call to the leadership in Skopje to guarantee the former Yugoslav republic's Euro-Atlantic course by extricating itself from "policies aimed at domestic consumption", news agency ana-mpa said.

Speaking in a town only a short drive from the Greece-FYROM, Karamanlis has sent a harsh message to the governing politicians in Skopje that their own choice would determine the country's way to Euro-Atlantic structures, Greece's Naftemporiki daily said on its website.

Karamanlis called on Skopje to "give up the attempts to twist and re-write history" Focus news agency said.

"The passport to Euro-Atlantic institutions requires a compound name with a geographical attribute, which will be valid for everyone. And the responsibility for the passport lies with Skopje," Karamanlis said.

"It is high time solutions far from nationalism and hatred were found," he said.

http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/04/15/705737_greeces-newest-messages-on-macedonia-name-dispute