Macedonia & Greece: Name Issue

[George S.]

I hope it finds its way to the traitors & those that want to capitulate & compromise.You don't change your name just to please your neighbour.

[United MKD]

Well said Ban Ki Moon.

[Stojacanec]

I wish somebody had the guts to say this in 1995.

[lavce pelagonski]

СМК бара Македонија да продолжи во ОН под државното име

МИРЕН ПРОТЕСТ ПРЕД СОБРАНИЕТО НА МАКЕДОНИЈА НА 25 ЈУЛИ СРЕДА ОД 10 ДО 12 ЧАСОТ!

24 јули 2012 година, Македонија - На 25 јули 2012 година, среда, во 11.00 часот, генералниот секретар на Обединетите Нации Н.Е. Бан Ки Мун ќе се обрати пред пратениците во Собранието на Република Македонија.

Светскиот Македонски Конгрес од 10 часот до заминувањето на генералниот секретар од Собранието на Република Македонија (најдоцна 12 часот) организира мирен протест пред Собранието на Македонија под мотото “Стоп на разговорите за името Македонија“ и “Стоп на грчкиот геноцид врз Македонците“!

СМК обезбеди транспаренти на англиски јазик “Стоп на разговорите за името“, “Стоп на грчкиот геноцид’, “Стоп на грчкиот расизам“, “Стоп на грчкиот наци-фашизам“, “Не за ПЈРМ, да за Македонија“ и “Ова е Македонија“.

Организаторот ќе ги отстранува непријавените транспаренти и се оградува од содржини надвор од целта на мирниот протест.

Македонците изразуваат добредојде на генералниот секретар на Обединетите Нации во Македонија, нема да го попречуваат неговиот влез и обраќање во Собранието на Македонија, но учесниците на мирниот протест ќе го пречекаат и испратат со пораките “Стоп на разговорите за името Македонија“ и “Стоп на грчкиот геноцид врз Македонците“!









More pictures here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.421420344571528.97879.100001106999076&type=3

Is this a start of something big in Macedonia, are people starting to get fed up with what is going on. I dint see a ventilator anywhere, it seems that way in these pictures.

[Coolski]

WOW.. this is a great development and clearly stated!

[George S.]

look it's ver nice to hear that but i wish bankimoon would table that in a un resolution.The whole un except greece will support macedonia if that's the case but reality shows that the un doesn't work like that .Like all organizations the un has it's faults.declaration of universal human rights to self determination.Some people only pay lip service that macedonia has the right but when greece lobbyies them they in practice change their tune.So it comes as to who you are going to beleive.

[Vechni]

Very exciting movement maybe distribute the original Macedonian flag stickers, flyers etc around the globe, help with the momentum.

[Coolski]

is there another source with the same information other than MINA? I can't seem to find anything else.

[lavce pelagonski]

http://www.plusinfo.mk/vest/50734/Makedonigza-se-vrakja-vo-igra

[DedoAleko]

Google Translate:

- Despite the different ideas, such as looking for a new admission of the Republic of Macedonia under its constitutional name in the United Nations, or open new proceedings before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, but also using other forms and mechanisms of the United Nations, Prime Minister Gruevski said his focus now is on activities as possible to find a solution to this decades-long dispute through the United Nations, which are necessary will and determination and greece, which now missing, it said.
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(!!)
- In this context the Prime Minister to push for rights and recognition of the Macedonian minority in greece, its basic human rights, primarily educational and cultural, as well as the rights of displaced persons after the Civil War in greece, by restoring their properties, the possibility of double citizenship and free movement. Last event of the inability to cross the border to the President of the civil society of persons displaced from greece after the Civil War in greece, only confirms that there are still these issues are current and objective, problems that are actually highlighted and detailed in the report of McDougall, statement said.
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izvor: http://www.utrinski.com.mk/default.a...C647F550BF2064

[lavce pelagonski]

This is a clip on fb

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=421519684561594

[George S.]

gruevski the solution is do not dillay dalley with our name .Its not up to you.This is a god given name to our people you should not be allowed to change like your buddies branko ,ljupco Kiro accepting the flag of capitulation & the fyrom name just to please greece.Look at Banki Moons response that macedonia shouldn't change her name,But looks like nichola doesn't care about continuiing the name negotiations.

[Makedonska_Kafana]

Ban Ki-moon to engage personally in name row settlement

Ohrid, 25 July 2012 (MIA) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said early on Wednesday he would engage personally with Greek authorities over accelerating the process of the name row settlement. After meeting with President Gjorge Ivanov in Ohrid, the UN chief also said he would work on the respect of the International Court of Justice ruling.

"We will invest maximum efforts in talks with Greek authorities. Immediately after the visit, I will send my special envoy Matthew Nimetz to Greece in order to brief authorities over the talks held here. I will personally try to contact Prime Minister Samaras in order to help in the acceleration of the process. It is unfortunate that two neighboring countries have not managed to fully use their potentials for regional cooperation, reconciliation and development. The UN will do everything in their power to facilitate the process. This is a long-standing problem. We are aware of the International Court of Justice ruling and will take into account all aspects", said Ban Ki-moon.

President Ivanov confirmed that the meeting focused on all issues regarding the Interim Accord and ICJ ruling implementation, as well as UN's expected engagement over their observance.

"I asked the Secretary General to urge the Greek authorities in his communication for respect of the international law, as well as respect of the Hague ruling, since this is the most authoritative legal institution in the world. What would happen if we do not respect the court's judgments? Therefore I stressed that Greece should abide by the framework stipulated in the UN resolutions and the Interim Accord. I was assured that the UN SG will refer to these issues at the first available opportunity, urging the new Greek government to respect what it has voluntarily undertaken as an obligation", said Ivanov.

THE END GAME NEARS!

[George S.]

Redefining the Name Issue

Redefining the Name Issue



By Jason Miko

July 19, 2012



On July 7 in Dubrovnik, US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon spoke at the Croatia Summit 2012. In his prepared remarks on Macedonia, Gordon began by stating “Macedonia’s name dispute with Greece continues to thwart its aspirations for NATO membership and the start of EU accession talks.” Notice the way Gordon defines the issue: “Macedonia’s name dispute with Greece….”



Notice how Gordon labels it as a possessive issue for Macedonia – it is Macedonia’s dispute. But that is completely incorrect. Macedonia has no dispute. It is the other way around: Greece has a dispute with Macedonia’s name….and Macedonia’s identity of course, the root of the problem. Gordon should have said “Greece’s dispute with Macedonia’s name continues to thwart its aspirations for NATO membership and the start of EU accession talks.” (He could add “and identity” but that would be asking the US State Department to do too much.)



Here’s my point – we need to redefine this issue and call it what it is: “Greece’s dispute with Macedonia’s name and identity is thwarting Macedonia’s ability to join NATO and the EU.” I would argue that it is always vital to add “identity” when speaking about the name issue.



Gordon goes on: “We were disappointed that NATO was unable to welcome Macedonia at the Chicago Summit. But as NATO is a consensus organization, Macedonia and Greece must first resolve their bilateral disagreement before the Alliance can fulfill the membership offer extended at the Bucharest Summit.” On the first issue – that he was “disappointed” – frankly, I don’t believe him. I think he simply doesn’t care anymore. He is tired, like all unelected diplomats are, with this issue.



An example from Europe: Just last week, the foreign ministers of Austria and Slovakia – like so many before them – wrote in the EU Observer that “We are aware that a name dispute is a central and highly sensitive - but bilateral issue - between two countries.”

On this issue – that of this being a “bilateral disagreement/issue,” I must vehemently disagree. It is “bilateral” only in the sense that one party, Greece, objects to another party, Macedonia. The dispute is, in essence, unilateral. Here’s my second point: we need to call it that. It is a unilateral dispute which Greece has with Macedonia.



And as a refresher course, what is the source of this disagreement/issue? I point back to UN Resolution 817 of April 7, 1993 which governs the entrance of Macedonia into the UN but under the fictitious “provisional and temporary reference.” In that resolution the UN notes that Macedonia has fulfilled all criteria for membership but also notes “Noting however that a difference has arisen over the name of the State, which needs to be resolved in the interest of the maintenance of peaceful and good-neighbourly relations in the region…”



The UN – in its infinite lack of wisdom or moral backbone – simply states that a “difference has arisen.” But from where does this difference come? The UN refuses to say. It refuses to lay blame. This is one reason why the UN is worth so little. Because it cannot take a position. The UN asks the world: follow me, for I stand for nothing.



Moving on. I went back and looked at previous US State Department statements and found a curious thing. In previous statements – in the past year – Gordon has made reference to “the ongoing dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the latter’s name” (April 14), and said, on November 15 of last year, “The name dispute with Greece continues to thwart Macedonia’s aspirations for NATO membership and the start of EU.” Even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s most recent statements on the issue do not lay blame with Macedonia. Witness what she said at the Chicago NATO Summit: “We strongly support a resolution of the ongoing name dispute and urge the parties to reach an agreement so Macedonia can join the alliance as soon as possible.”



At this point, I’m confused. Is Gordon postulating a new US position with his statement that Macedonia is at fault because Macedonia has a name dispute with Greece? If he does not mean that, then I would call upon the US State Department to clarify his statement. Quickly.



But it is what Gordon said after the summit that really shocked me. In an interview with Al Jazeera Gordon said “And I think once it [the name issue] was agreed people would stop obsessing over precisely what the formal name of the country was and they would get on with it as in so many other cases around the world.”



Frankly, I’m shocked. When I read it I could hardly believe what he said. “Obsessing over precisely what the formal name of the country was?” By deliberately using the loaded word “obsessing,” Gordon is attempting to belittle the Macedonians who hold their name and identity sacred. Another statement that needs to be clarified. I can tell you that the day that Americans stop “obsessing” over our name and identity will be the day that blood flows in the streets.





The identity and the name of the people are intertwined, the two are one. That is precisely why the name issue is so important and why the name of the country must remain what the people has chosen: the Republic of Macedonia. It is high time we make sure the elected and unelected around the world know that as well. No negotiation.



This article was originally published in the Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik on Thursday, July 19, 2012

[Krivan]

British Diplomat O'Neal: Time for Macedonia to enter UN as Macedonia

Now it’s the right time when the Republic of Macedonia can rightfully seek from the UN General Assembly and from those 130+ countries that have already recognised it under its constitutional name, to agree to be recognised in the world organisation under this name.

British diplomat and first international mediator in Greek-Macedonia name dispute, Robin O'Neil, assessed this in an interview with MTV's ‘Porta’ program.

The recent visit of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Macedonia means support, who commented that current dispute is ‘regretful’ and should be ‘urgently’ resolved adding that he is personally committed to help in this, O’Neil said.

He explained that two foreign political goals of the Macedonian Government – sooner membership in NATO and EU and resolving the name dispute are connected, but are not identical, adding that 1995 Interim Accord offers solutions to first of the two problems. The Government in Greece agreed in Article 11.1 of this Accord that will not hinder admission of Macedonia in international organisations under the name FYR of Macedonia.

The International Court of Justice in the Hague verified that Greece is obliged to obey this obligation. As far as I know so far Macedonia has not submitted request to join in any of these two organisations under the name FYR of Macedonia. It should be remembered that the Interim Accord recognises the name FYR of Macedonia only as provisional name, O’Neil said.

The UN Security Council Resolution 817 (1993) is the same, which recommended Macedonia to be admitted in the UN under that name while the talks between Greece and Macedonia last. It is second important aspect of this issue for which entire international community agrees that the name issue is simply bilateral dispute between Greece and Macedonia, he said, adding that this is somehow forgotten by the international community.

The dispute between Macedonia and Greece is purely bilateral and accordingly other counties should not be interested in this. Other countries can be interested in the dispute if it is a threat for the peace or stability of the Balkans, but it is not the case. UN Security Council resolutions requested from Greece and Macedonia to resolve their bilateral dispute however in the period of 20 years Greece refused any kind of reasonable compromise.

Since the dispute is only between Greece and Macedonia one possible direction towards progress would be Greece in relations with Macedonia to use name different from “Republic of Macedonia,” and Macedonia to accept it in this relations. Macedonia would continue not to have problem to use the constitutional name of “Hellenic Republic” and I do not see any problem here, and I hope that Macedonia will be flexible in relation to the name, which Greece will use towards (it) Macedonia.

Such an agreement would only have bilateral meaning and the same will not be used or will have influence on the name under which Macedonia will be known in the UN or international organisations including here NATO and EU.

Commenting the statement of Daniel Serwer on importance of Macedonia’s admission in NATO as the factor of providing stability in the region, O’Neil reiterated his position saying “is the most relevant for Greece which has many direct interests in the stability of the region and in good-neighbourly relations with all around it.” This interest will be fully met through establishing close relations with Macedonia as member of the NATO and as EU partner, O’Neil said.

The name dispute is exaggerated as highly emotional political problem and for this no one should be blamed but political parties in Greece. Once resolved, it would show that the solution will not bring any wrong either to Greek state or Greek nation, Robin O'Neil said in his interview with MTV's ‘Porta’ program.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/21591/2/