The latest package for solving the long-standing Macedonia-Greece ‘name’ dispute, involving the composite name ‘Republic of Ilinden Macedonia’, should be given a chance, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister said.
Macedonia and Greece need to show leadership over the latest proposal for a solution to the “name” dispute, which includes the name “Republic of Ilinden Macedonia” for all uses; otherwise they risk taking a step back in the ongoing “name” talks, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Nikola Dimitrov, said on Sunday.
“I don’t see a more adequate proposal over which both sides in the negotiations have [reached] consent,” Dimitrov told Macedonian 1TV late on Sunday.
“We are ready to defend this, and to persuade our people to stand behind this solution because we believe in it,” he added, warning: “If one component is removed, the entire package falls apart.”
In case of failure, the talks might take a step backwards over the issue of the span of use of an agreed compromise name, which has been covered in the latest package, he noted.
On Saturday, the Greek government issued a statement indirectly hinting at rejection of the package.
“We welcome FYROM’s [Macedonia’s] acknowledgement that a name solution cannot be reached without adopting an ‘erga omnes’ [for all uses] name,” the Greek government statement on Saturday said.
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