Greece welcomes upcoming talks at UN on FYROM name issue

The Greek government on Thursday expressed satisfaction with UN special mediator on the FYROM name issue Matthew Nimetz’s scheduling of a meeting with the Greek and FYROM representatives at the name talks for February 9 in New York.

Foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras said, in a statement, that the designation of the meeting is a confirmation of the fact that the framework of the process is the UN-brokered negotiation.

He said a review of where things currently stand on the FYROM name issue is anticipated at the meeting, adding that the Greek side looks forward to a constructive meeting.

Greece, the spokesman underlined, was going into the meeting with the political volition for resolving the issue.

He added that the meetings that the Greek side has sought between the prime ministers of the two countries have created a more positive climate “that we will seek to preserve, through the direct high level contacts”.

At the same time, though, “we need to see from the other side as well such a political volition for a solution, which is absolutely necessary to proceed with the neighboring country’s EU and NATO accession process”, Delavekouras stressed.