Name solution nearing
Greek, FYROM premiers aim to resolve dispute before EU summit on June 28
Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia yesterday appeared to be edging toward a solution on a longstanding dispute over the latter’s name following talks between the countries’ prime ministers on the sidelines of a summit in Sofia.
The aim is for a deal to be reached in time for a European Council meeting on June 28 though it was unclear how realistic this goal might be. According to sources, a possible solution being proposed by European officials is “Upper Macedonia.” That might not go down well, however, with the Greek leftist-led government’s rightwing junior partner, Independent Greeks, which has pledged to reject any solution containing the name “Macedonia.”
FYROM’s Zoran Zaev appeared more upbeat about the prospects for an agreement yesterday, with Alexis Tsipras suggesting that, although progress had been made, it was too early to talk about a deal. “I believe we have covered a great part of the distance, but we have more to cover,” Tsipras said, adding that negotiations remained complex and “multilayered,” “We are not yet in a position to speak about a deal,” he said following talks with Zaev. “We have reached a critical point but the last steps are always more difficult,” he said, adding that “we have the pressure of historical responsibility but FYROM has the pressure of time,” referring to Skopje’s ambitions to join the EU and NATO.
Zaev appeared more confident. “We have discussed one solution to the name dispute that could be acceptable for both sides, but we need to have further discussions in our countries.”
Tsipras said he hoped for a meeting with Zaev before the EU summit in June, saying the goal was for a deal that would “stand the test of time.” Zaev said talks would continue “even if we miss the June deadline.”
If a deal is reached in June, it will be sealed with a symbolic meeting of the two premiers in Prespes, northern Greece, near Lake Prespa, which is shared by Greece and FYROM as well as Albania.
The key obstacles in ongoing United Nationsmediated talks is Greece’s demands for the agreed-to name to be “erga omnes” – used domestically and internationally – and for FYROM’s constitution to be purged of references that Athens deems to contain irredentist aspirations.