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.