Thursday, January 03, 2008

What's in a name? For Macedonia, NATO and EU membership

It seems hard to imagine that this is a real diplomatic crisis in a world with Afghanistan, Darfur, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Venezuela and Russia... but there it is. Greece is threatening to block NATO and EU membership if “The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" also known as Macedonia, changes its name so it's not the same as a province in Greece.

Greece and Macedonia will hold talks under United Nations supervision in January to solve a long-standing name dispute between the neighbours and boost stability in the Balkans, a U.N. envoy said on Wednesday.
Macedonia took that name when it declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Athens objects because it is also the name of a Greek province, birthplace of Alexander the Great.

UN envoy Matthew Nimetz , on a diplomatic trip to both capitals, said the dispute could be settled because of the positive fallout for all sides. Talks have been going on since 1993 with little progress.
“This is one that cries out for a solution because the positives of solving it are so great,” he told reporters in Athens after meeting Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 TO ALL MACEDONIANS AROUND THE WORLD EVEN TO MACEDONIAN MINORITY IN GREECE.I HOPE FOR THE BEST THIS YEAR TO MY COUNTRY.
GREECE AND GREEKS FINALY TO RECOGNAISE MY COUNTRY BY THE REAL NAME OF MY COUNTRY REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA.
SAY THAT NAME INSIDE OF YOURSELF, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ITS BLLLLLEEEEESSSSSSSSSS.

Anonymous said...

How can we possibly be known as any other name. After all, we may not have much but we certainly are proud Macedonians. What other possibility is there? What about all the poor refugess who fled their homes and family in Aegean Macedonia, who were seperated from brothers & sisters, mothers & fathers, all the boys & men who died for name Macedonia & to be free to speak the Macedonian language? How can we turn our backs on our history? Why should we back down to Greek pressure? How can we keep our head held high if we give up our beautiful name?