Friday, January 19, 2007

UN envoy in Greece for talks on Macedonia name dispute

ATHENS, Greece-A U.N. mediator met with Greece's foreign minister late Friday following a recent disagreement in an ongoing name dispute with neighboring Macedonia.

Matthew Nimitz said he listened to the Greek demands "very clearly" but made no other comment after meeting Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.

Macedonia gained peaceful independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece argues the country's name implies a territorial claim against its own region of that name.

The dispute, which remains unresolved, flared this month over a decision to rename Petrovec airport in Macedonia's capital, Skopje, as "Alexander the Great Airport," after the ancient warrior king.

Greek officials have also accused Macedonia of using names and symbols of ancient Greek heritage.

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