Greek press on the Macedonian issue (news in English)

[Foti66]

Originally Posted by Paulos Melas

Should Gruevski so openly brough the "macedonian" minority issue then he is no better than kerim. The reason is that whilst skopje have strted presenting the identity issue as a matter sourced by the self determination right, he managed now to place the name of their identity along with the name of country prooving beyond any doubt the irridentic intentions masked behind the "innocent' identity matter.
For better or worse ethnicity , identity and language are placed next to the country name issue an an erga omnes solution is more than necessary to included also the former as the forger "macedonian" identity is a bearer of irridentism and not an innocent right.
Thank you very much Mr Gruesvski about that. Shoud you continue like that with the forecoming change in the US gov I would expect the name to be:
Republic of Skopje
Nationality, identity and language: Skopian.
unless of coursr skopje is split along ethnic lines thus between the albanians of illyrida and the kuber bulgars of skopje.

I agree with your view. Now let's hope the news article is true and not some made up bullshit.

[Foti66]

Sarkozy's Letter to FYROM on Name Issue 02 Ιουλ 2008 16:26:0

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Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8, ΑNA-ΜPA

In his letter to FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) President Branko Crvenkovski, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stresses that except for the FYROM name issue, the above country meets the criteria for it entry to NATO. Moreover, he stresses that France is ready to boost bilateral relations with Skopje and promote efforts for the resolution of the name issue when it assumes the EU Presidency. Finally, he calls on FYROM to double its efforts in finding a mutually accepted solution with Greece.

Meanwhile, special UN mediator Matthew Nimetz is planning to meet with the Greek and FYROM representatives. However, no dates have been fixed.







Milososki: Athens Widens 'agenda'


FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki stated today that his country wishes to continue negotiating with Greece, adding that no fresh proposals have been made during the UN sponsored talks.

He also accused Athens of widening of the agenda of talks in every session, adding that under these circumstances all issues that might cause misunderstanding in the future should be settled. This includes the return of properties to the refugees’ descendants, who are Macedonian citizens and have right to acquire the Greek citizenship since they had been born there.

[Foti66]

© 2008 H KAΘHMEPINH All rights reserved.


FYROM pushes ‘refugee’ demands
Athens yesterday rebuffed calls by the foreign minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) for current citizens of FYROM who left Greece during the civil war to be allowed to reclaim lost property and apply for Greek citizenship.

Sources dismissed the comments by Antonio Milososki as a departure from the focus of talks between Greek and FYROM government officials which are aimed at finding a mutually acceptable name for FYROM. But Milososki said Athens was trying to address other issues. “If we follow this logic, then it would be good to close all issues that might cause misunderstandings in the future,” Milososki said. “This applies also to the restitution of properties of the refugees from Greece who are Macedonian citizens, but have grounds for receiving Greek citizenship too,” Milososki said.

Greek diplomatic sources said it was FYROM, not Greece, that has been trying to divert ongoing UN-mediated talks from the name issue. Greece has said solving the name dispute is a priority.

The same point was made in a letter sent by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to his FYROM counterpart Branko Crvenkovski. “Macedonia is fully qualified to join NATO but it should resolve the name dispute with Greece beforehand,” Sarkozy said in the letter, made public yesterday. In a speech before the Greek Parliament last month, Sarkozy had said France would stand firmly by Greece’s side in the name dispute.

In a related development, sources told Kathimerini that groups representing FYROM citizens in Greece are organizing a rally at the Niki border crossing with FYROM in which they have invited “all refugees chased out of Greece” to participate.

[Foti66]

FYROM Intransigence 03 Ιουλ 2008 16:11:0

Sources: ANA

At a joint Press Conference with the Austrian President Heinz Fischer in Vienna, the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias referred to the FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) name issue. Earlier, the two men had held long talks. Expressing his sorrow over FYROM’s hostile and intransigent stance against Greece, Mr Papoulias stressed that until now Greece had been met with FYROM’s empty and hostile irredentism. He also reminded that the Interim Agreement, signed by him as Foreign minister speaks of a name mutually approved by both sides. He also stated that under those conditions, the Greek position presented by the Greek prime minister in Bucharest could not change.
Regarding the entry of Western Balkan countries to the EU, the Greek President stated that Greece would keep its promise; while regarding Kosovo he commented that Greece had been monitoring the situation with great attention. Moreover, he said that Greece is one of the countries that had not recognized Kosovo’s independence yet, as it believes that small and careful steps should be made towards that direction.

[Foti66]

http://news.ert.gr/images/ertgr.gif

Skopje's Fresh Intransigence 10 Ιουλ 2008 16:45:0

In his statements in Skopje, FYROM Foreign Minister, Antonio Milososki spoke of minorities in Greece and this in the presence of PASOK deputy, Thodoros Pangalos , who was visiting the neigbouring country along with other representatives of Western-European Union Parliamentary Assembly. Mr. Pangalos strongly reacted to the fresh Skopje provocation characteristically saying: "we will have a generalized crisis with unpredictable results if Mr. Milososki remains in his post".
In his provocative counter-response on Thursday Mr. Milososki says: "Neither were the problems created by "Macedonia" nor by this government. They have begun since the moment Greece dared to refuse our national right to use our constitutional name and share the same rights as all developed countries in the EU", adding that 120 countries so far have recognized his country under its constitutional name.
Commenting on the fact that FYROM was not invited to join NATO he said: "Greece has abused its capacity as member of the organization resulting in bilateral disputes –such as the one imposed by Greece- to be placed over NATO strategic interests. However, we believe that veto policy can not be stronger to incorporation, stressing that it is a matter of time when "Macedonia" takes the position it deserves (within NATO framework).

"Specific Framework"

A few hours prior to the opening of new round of negotiations under Mathew Nimitz, the Greek government stresses that negotiations at the UN are held within a specific framework which does not change. "The framework of negotiations is predetermined and regards one issue only, that is the finding of a mutually acceptable solution", said alternate government spokesman, Evangelos Antonaros.

[Tsontos]

FYROM digs its heels in

The diplomat dispatched by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to New York to discuss the Macedonia name dispute with a United Nations mediator has rebuffed four name proposals, including the geographical qualifiers Northern and Upper, sources in Skopje have told Skai TV and radio.

FYROM’s negotiator Nikola Dimitrov reportedly told the UN’s Matthew Nimetz that the proposed names are not acceptable, adding that FYROM will not “give up” its national identity. Dimitrov also readdressed the issue of the supposed existence of a “Slav-Macedonian minority” in Greece. Comments on this sensitive topic by FYROM’s Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki on Wednesday provoked a stern reaction from veteran PASOK MP Theodoros Pangalos, a former foreign minister, during a summit of the Western European Union Assembly in Skopje.

Greece’s negotiator in the name dispute, Adamantios Vassilakis, is to meet with Nimetz in New York on Monday to brief the UN envoy on the Greek government’s stance.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w.../07/2008_98519

[Foti66]

Gruevski Letter to Karamanlis

Skopje Fresh Provocation 14 Ιουλ 2008 16:52:0

Sources: ΝΕΤ-ΝΕΤ 105.8-ΑNA

Skopje fresh provocation comes in a letter to Prime-minister Kostas Karamanlis which among other raises minority issue in Greece. Harsh was government’s spokesman, Thodoros Roussopoulos response who spoke of repetition of unacceptable statements about inexistent minorities in an attempt to erect new obstacles in the under way negotiations on name dispute under the UN framework.

Mr. Roussopoulos stresses that this letter adds up to a number of unacceptable statements by several Skopje officials. "FYROM government obstruction tactics grow bigger every day" underlines the Greek government spokesman, adding that instead of staging provocative acts and tactics which push to a deadlock many years of negotiations, they should be convincing with deeds that they want to resolve the name dispute and build good neighbourly relations with Greece, a EU and NATO member country, both institutions FYROM wants to be admitted to. Greece will not participate in any attempt which will deviate from its target, that is a mutually acceptable resolution of name dispute. Concluding, he referred that the Greek Prime-minister will respond to Gruevski letter this week.

[Slayer]

Skopje raises diplomatic stakes

FYROM premier calls for recognition of ‘Macedonian minority’ and rights for ‘refugees’ in letter to Karamanlis
Athens yesterday reacted angrily to a letter sent to Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis by his Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) counterpart Nikolas Gruevski calling for the recognition of a supposed “Macedonian minority” in Greece and the granting of rights to FYROM citizens who left Greece during the civil war.

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos condemned Gruevski’s move as “an act of provocation” and said, “Greece will not be swayed by any attempt to divert current negotiations from their focus,” namely the resolution of the Macedonia name dispute.

Roussopoulos said Karamanlis would respond to Gruevski’s letter within the week. According to sources, Karamanlis will say Greece has no intention of discussing issues that are irrelevant to ongoing negotiations.

Greece’s representative in talks, Adamantios Vassilakis, reportedly conveyed the same message to United Nations mediator Matthew Nimetz during their talks in New York yesterday.

Foreign Ministry sources in Athens yesterday suggested the letter may be an effort to gain a diplomatic advantage by raising new issues that Skopje could later withdraw, thereby appearing to make concessions in the name dispute.

Gruevski has raised the issue of a so-called “Macedonian minority” several times since April when Athens vetoed Skopje’s bid to join NATO. In his letter to Karamanlis, Gruevski calls for current citizens of FYROM who left Greece during the civil war to be allowed to reclaim lost property and apply for Greek citizenship. He also demands the recognition of a “Macedonian minority” in Greece.

In a related development, Greek government and tourism officials slammed the defacement with pro-FYROM propaganda of posters promoting Greece as a holiday destination in a Rome square. Authorities called on FYROM authorities to distance itself from the perpetrators of the vandalism.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w.../07/2008_98595

[Paulos Melas]

Smashing!!! war is coming after all! we shall be able to settle the issue by the means of arms as day by day skopje built its image as an assymetric threat.

[Foti66]

http://news.ert.gr/images/ertgr.gif

Athens' Stern Response 15 Ιουλ 2008 14:37:0 (Last updated: 15 Ιουλ 2008 16:35:0)

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8

The Greek government and opposition parties strongly reacted to the provocative letter FYROM Prime Minister Nikolas Gruevski sent to Greek Premier Kostas Karamanlis. The letter rose minority issues in Greece. Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos stressed that Greece would not leave Skopje’s provocation go unnoticed, while Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis underlined that the FYROM head of government was consciously undermining the talks. The Government is expected to respond to the Gruevski letter within the week. Apart from raising minority issued, Gruevski even demanded properties taken from those who left, as he claimed, Greece be returned to them.

Kostas Karamanlis would send an answering letter to the FYROM Prime Minister, confirmed Tuesday Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, who also said that the UN would be briefed on any development in the matter, including the issue raised.
Asked to comment on Socialist MP Andreas Loverdos, who called on the Prime Minister to give an answer through the UN, Roussopoulos said that leaving such a provocation go unnoticed means that Greece will leave questions towards History go unanswered. He further added that Greece has strong arguments to answer both for the present and the historic future.

Drilled to explain why claims on "Macedonia minority" and "Macedonian language" have not been clearly addressed, given that US officials have repeatedly used them in the past, Roussopoulos argued that there is always an answer.

"Allow the Greek Government to handle the matter with seriousness, respect and the method required in such cases," added he.

Questioned whether the Greek Government would finally make it clear whether there is a "Macedonian minority" and a "Macedonian language," the Government spokesman stressed, "If I had to say it now, I would repeat it, of course. But what really matter is the way and the means one employs to express their positions and settle the issued brought up."

Roussopoulos also noted that Greece is one of the older EU member states, it has incorporated the EU law into its own, therefore, it has nothing to fear when it comes to matter Greece knows is damn right.