Court at The Hague hears FYROM appeal
The International Court of Justice in the Hague on Monday started hearing an appeal brought by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia against Greece over the latter?s decision to veto FYROM?s bid to join NATO in April 2008.
FYROM?s Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said Skopje?s appeal to the court was over the veto and not an attempt to resolve a longstanding dispute with Greece over the Balkan country?s name.
Greece objects to FYROM using the word Macedonia in its name without a geographical qualifier as the country borders with a Greek province called Macedonia.
Athens exercised its right to veto FYROM?s candidacy for NATO membership in 2008 at an alliance summit on the grounds that the Balkan country should first resolvethe name dispute.
FYROM is to continue setting out its arguments to the court this week and Greece is to respond next week.
