UN envoy 'very hopeful' about solving Macedonia name dispute

A UN envoy declared today he was "very hopeful" that a solution was within reach to end a 27-year dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the former Yugoslav republic's name.
During talks at the United Nations, UN envoy Matthew Nimetz presented a proposal for a compromise to envoys that will now be discussed in Athens and Skopje.
Nimetz said he will travel to Greece and Macedonia soon to discuss the proposed solution, which was not made public.
"I am very hopeful that this process is moving in a positive direction," Nimetz told reporters following the two- hour meeting at UN headquarters.

Greece's objections to the use of the name Macedonia since the Balkan country's independence in 1991 has hampered Skopje's bid to join the European Union and NATO.
Macedonia is known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) at the United Nations, but the Security Council acknowledged that this was a provisional name when it agreed to membership.

"I view this as a good set of ideas, a compromise, and a package that both sides should feel comfortable with and lead to a dignified and satisfactory solution," said Nimetz.
Some of the solutions floated include using the name New Macedonia or Northern Macedonia, but Greek nationalists argue that there should be no reference to Macedonia at all.

Greece maintains that the use of Macedonia suggests that Skopje has territorial claims to its own Macedonia -- a northern region that boasts the port cities of Thessaloniki and Kavala and was the center of Alexander the Great's ancient kingdom, a source of Greek pride.