MACEDONIA: GREECE LODGES PROTEST OVER UNITED STATES DECISION TO RECOGNISE THE DISPUTED NAME OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Record ID: 338031

  • Title: MACEDONIA: GREECE LODGES PROTEST OVER UNITED STATES DECISION TO RECOGNISE THE DISPUTED NAME OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
  • Date: 4th November 2004
  • Summary: (CEEF) ATHENS, GREECE (NOVEMBER 4, 2004)(REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY 0.04 2. SV US AMBASSADOR THOMAS MILLER ARRIVING AT GREEK FOREIGN MINISTRY TO MEET WITH MOLYVIATIS OVER MACEDONIA ISSUE 0.18 3. SLV MEDIA GATHERED OUTSIDE MINISTRY (2 SHOTS) 0.26 4. SV US AMBASSADOR THOMAS MILLER LEAVING FOREIGN MINISTRY AFTE
  • Embargoed: 19th November 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ATHENS AND THESSALONIKI, GREECE/SKOPJE, MACEDONIA
  • City:
  • Country: Greece Macedonia
  • Reuters ID: LVA9Y6KOP97RA4XQBC2SW39K1F5Z
  • Story Text: Greece lodges protest over United States decision to
    recognise the disputed name of the Former Yugolsav Republic of Macedonia.



    Greece has lodged a protest with the U.S.

    ambassador after the United States recognised the Former
    Yugoslav Republic
    of Macedonia (FYROM) as "Macedonia", the name strongly
    disputed by Greece for the past 13 years.

    "I summoned the (U.S.) ambassador to whom I lodged a
    complaint for the U.S. government's decision to recognize
    the Former Yugoslav Republic with the name "Republic of
    Macedonia", said Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, who
    abruptly cancelled a visit to a European Council meeting in
    Brussels later on Thursday over the issue.

    An official in Skopje, speaking on anonymity, confirmed to Reuters
    that the name had been recognized.

    The decision was the first major policy move to be
    announced by Washington following the re-election of
    President George W.

    Bush on Wednesday. It was greeted with joy in FYROM.

    "It's a huge gesture, the first political gesture made
    by Bush after his victory, which is bizarre, but however
    bizarre we
    welcome it," said Ljubomir Frckovski, an ex-foreign
    minister.

    But the move sparked outrage in NATO ally Greece, where
    broadcasters broke into normal programming with the news
    and
    Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis called in U.S.

    Ambassador Thomas Miller to lodge a formal protest.

    "Apart from our protest, I noted the many negative
    effects that this unilateral U.S. decision will have,"
    Molyviatis said.

    Greece blockaded the FYROM border for 18 months until
    October 1995, cutting off trade with its northern neighbour
    until an agreement to change the FYROM flag and alter the
    constitution thawed their relations.

    The northern province of Greece is called Macedonia,
    and mass public protests had broken out in the region in
    the past against use of the name.

    It remains one of the most emotive issues in Greek foreign
    policy because of its historic association with the
    birthplace of Alexander the Great.

    Many Greek residents expressed opposition to the
    decision.

    "There is only one Macedonia and its Greek, one Macedonia
    --the Greek Macedonia," said one woman".

    "The name Macedonia is totally a Greek place from Greek
    history and it doesn't have anything to do (with Skopje)."
    said one youth.

    One man said however it was expected.

    "I think it was pretty much inevitable. I don't think
    something different could have happened. Sooner or later
    the name Macedonia would have prevailed for this country".

    Yet the history is equally cherished in Macedonia.

    "This is a question of identity, not just the name,"
    said Macedonia's Frckovski. Macedonians are a Slav people
    whose
    language is similar to that of their Bulgarian and Serbian
    neighbours, but who claim they are also descendants of
    Alexander
    the Great.

    Athens opposed adoption of the name since the republic
    of two million won independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

    Until now
    it had the support of all NATO allies, except Turkey, for
    refusing recognition.

    They refer to it, as does the United Nations, by the
    acronym FYROM, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

    Washington's move short-circuited deliberations by the
    United Nations, which has been mediating talks between
    Skopje
    and Athens to find a mutually acceptable name.

    But the gesture to Macedonian nationhood may defuse
    tension that is building in Macedonia ahead of a nationwide
    referendum
    on Sunday to overturn a law giving the ethnic Albanian
    minority more local autonomy.

    This law is backed by NATO allies and the European
    Union, who would like to see the nationalist-inspired
    referendum fail.

    Macedonia is also a member of the U.S.-led military
    alliance in Iraq and was recently visited by U.S.

    Secretary of Defense
    Donald Rumsfeld for a medal award ceremony. The vast
    majority of Greeks, by contrast, opposed the U.S. invasion
    of Iraq.


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