ICG: Macedonia Should Be Flexible About Name Issue
(Reported on 11. 07. 2005 in print media)
The EU is well inclined toward Macedonia, but the government in Skopje should show flexibility in the negotiations on the name which are under way in New York under UN auspices, said the director for Balkans of the International Crisis Group, Nicholas Whyte. He recommended to Macedonia to stay immune to the intense Greek propaganda by the Greek media and the government representatives in Athens. He also advised Macedonia to make smart moves because Europe has sympathy for the country. “My belief is that only Cyprus out of the EU member countries would support the Greek position regarding Macedonia’s name. Macedonia is facing a great challenge and I think it is very important that it shows flexibility in the negotiations in New York”, Whyte said. The new initiative of the European liberals is mentioned as a proof of Europe’s inclination towards Macedonia. According to the announcements, a new resolution for recognising the name is being prepared in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, while Andres Samuelsen will try once again to convince his colleagues that Macedonia has the right to have a constitutional name.
Source: Dnevnik
(Note: I don't think I expressed myself very well here, and the double translation garbles whatever meaning I did have.)
The EU is well inclined toward Macedonia, but the government in Skopje should show flexibility in the negotiations on the name which are under way in New York under UN auspices, said the director for Balkans of the International Crisis Group, Nicholas Whyte. He recommended to Macedonia to stay immune to the intense Greek propaganda by the Greek media and the government representatives in Athens. He also advised Macedonia to make smart moves because Europe has sympathy for the country. “My belief is that only Cyprus out of the EU member countries would support the Greek position regarding Macedonia’s name. Macedonia is facing a great challenge and I think it is very important that it shows flexibility in the negotiations in New York”, Whyte said. The new initiative of the European liberals is mentioned as a proof of Europe’s inclination towards Macedonia. According to the announcements, a new resolution for recognising the name is being prepared in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, while Andres Samuelsen will try once again to convince his colleagues that Macedonia has the right to have a constitutional name.
Source: Dnevnik
(Note: I don't think I expressed myself very well here, and the double translation garbles whatever meaning I did have.)