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Looks like the day may finally come:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.1252ed236386
Macedonia hopes for quick deal on name dispute with Greece
SKOPJE, Macedonia — Macedonia’s prime minister is voicing hopes that he and his Greek counterpart can strike a deal Tuesday to settle a 27-year dispute over Macedonia’s name, which has poisoned bilateral relations and hindered NATO expansion.
Zoran Zaev spoke for an hour Monday with Greece’s Alexis Tsipras and said afterward that a “fair agreement” appeared possible during a phone call scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Ever since Macedonia gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, Greece has objected to its name, arguing that it implies claims on its own adjacent province of Macedonia. Macedonia denies that.
The dispute has frustrated Macedonia’s hopes of joining NATO and the European Union.
“Probably my optimism about the name issue will be borne out, but it will finally happen when (everything is settled), and I hope that will be (Tuesday),” Zaev told private Telma TV in an interview.
“Our ultimate goal is to reach a fair agreement,” he added.
Earlier Monday, Tsipras’ office said the talks with Zaev were conducted “in a good atmosphere” and would be repeated Tuesday. The phone call had been postponed previously in a sign that the two countries were not ready yet for a compromise.
A new drive to settle the issue was launched this year. The two countries are reportedly discussing a composite name such as New, Upper or Northern Macedonia.
Zaev has promised to hold a referendum on the agreement.
Macedonia hopes for quick deal on name dispute with Greece
SKOPJE, Macedonia — Macedonia’s prime minister is voicing hopes that he and his Greek counterpart can strike a deal Tuesday to settle a 27-year dispute over Macedonia’s name, which has poisoned bilateral relations and hindered NATO expansion.
Zoran Zaev spoke for an hour Monday with Greece’s Alexis Tsipras and said afterward that a “fair agreement” appeared possible during a phone call scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Ever since Macedonia gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, Greece has objected to its name, arguing that it implies claims on its own adjacent province of Macedonia. Macedonia denies that.
The dispute has frustrated Macedonia’s hopes of joining NATO and the European Union.
“Probably my optimism about the name issue will be borne out, but it will finally happen when (everything is settled), and I hope that will be (Tuesday),” Zaev told private Telma TV in an interview.
“Our ultimate goal is to reach a fair agreement,” he added.
Earlier Monday, Tsipras’ office said the talks with Zaev were conducted “in a good atmosphere” and would be repeated Tuesday. The phone call had been postponed previously in a sign that the two countries were not ready yet for a compromise.
A new drive to settle the issue was launched this year. The two countries are reportedly discussing a composite name such as New, Upper or Northern Macedonia.
Zaev has promised to hold a referendum on the agreement.
https://sputniknews.com/europe/20180...-name-dispute/
Greek FM: Skopje To Announce New Constitutional Name for Macedonia
ATHENS (Sputnik) - Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said on Monday that Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev had already chosen country's new constitutional name among three proposed options, which are the Republic of New Macedonia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, and the Republic of Upper Macedonia.
In an interview with the Greek Kontra TV channel, Kotzias said that Zaev’s choice would be announced on Tuesday, if the Macedonian and Greek prime ministers completed their phone negotiations the same day.
According to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s office, Zaev and Tsipras held a phone conversation on Monday and agreed to complete it on Tuesday morning.
Greece and Macedonia are involved in a long-standing dispute over the official name of the Republic of Macedonia. Greece regards "Macedonia" as a term referring only to one of its northern regions and to the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia, and insists on the use of another name for its northern neighbor.
In the 1995 interim bilateral accord, Greece agreed that the term "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) would be applied to Macedonia until the dispute was settled. The issue has been blocking Skopje's aspirations to join NATO and the European Union for years.
In late May, Zaev said that the negotiations between Skopje and Athens on the long-standing issue of Macedonia's name had reached their final stage, and that the new name will be put to public vote in September or October
Greek FM: Skopje To Announce New Constitutional Name for Macedonia
ATHENS (Sputnik) - Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said on Monday that Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev had already chosen country's new constitutional name among three proposed options, which are the Republic of New Macedonia, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, and the Republic of Upper Macedonia.
In an interview with the Greek Kontra TV channel, Kotzias said that Zaev’s choice would be announced on Tuesday, if the Macedonian and Greek prime ministers completed their phone negotiations the same day.
According to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s office, Zaev and Tsipras held a phone conversation on Monday and agreed to complete it on Tuesday morning.
Greece and Macedonia are involved in a long-standing dispute over the official name of the Republic of Macedonia. Greece regards "Macedonia" as a term referring only to one of its northern regions and to the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia, and insists on the use of another name for its northern neighbor.
In the 1995 interim bilateral accord, Greece agreed that the term "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) would be applied to Macedonia until the dispute was settled. The issue has been blocking Skopje's aspirations to join NATO and the European Union for years.
In late May, Zaev said that the negotiations between Skopje and Athens on the long-standing issue of Macedonia's name had reached their final stage, and that the new name will be put to public vote in September or October
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