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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-03-30
From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>
CONTENTS
[01] Skopje Issue at Crucial Stage
[01]
Few Days prior to NATO Summit
Skopje Issue at Crucial Stage
30 Mar 2008 11:22:00
Sources: ÍÅÔ-ÍÅÔ 105.8-ÁNA
Negotiations on FYROM name issue are continuing with time limit for the
resolution of the issue is getting tighter as the NATO Summit is being
held on Wednesday, in Bucharest. Greece has stressed that it will only
agree to a mutually acceptable title for all uses and that no solution
means no invitation to the neighbour country to join NATO alliance.
From Slovenia, where she is attending the informal EU Foreign Ministers
Council, Foreign Minister, Dora Bakoyianni stated that it is somewhat
difficult to resolve the name issue till the NATO Summit, however,
adding that Greece will continue negotiations in good willingness till
the achievement of a mutually acceptable solution. In reference to UN
special envoy, Mathew Nimitz latest proposal, Mrs. Bakoyianni
characteristically said "there are no final proposals in diplomacy but
we wish for final solutions" while she underlined "the target is not
NATO enlargement for the sake of enlargement but allied relations built
on firm ground". In an interview with "Ethnos tis Kyriakis" newspaper,
the Greek Foreign Minister stressed that time pressure can not lead us
to agree to proposals in the form of ultimatums while she did not rule
out US President, George Bush intervention at the NATO Summit. On his
part, Defense Minister, Baggelis Meimarakis told "Kyriakatiki
Eleftherotipia" newspaper that there is time for solution of FYROM name
issue after the NATO Summit in Bucharest. In the meantime, Skopje
political leadership positions appear contradictory. On the one hand,
Skopjan Foreign Minister, Antonio Milososky described Nimitz proposal
as final and interpreted Greeces refusal to agree with the proposal as
an effort to prevent NATOs enlargement, on the other hand
Prime-minister, Nikola Gruevski party is promoting the holding of
referendum to respond to Nimitz proposal.
Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis
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