Visit by UN’s Matthew Nimetz spurs hopes of FYROM name row solution
A visit to Athens on Wednesday by Matthew Nimetz, the United Nations mediator in a dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over the latter’s name, was evaluated by Greek diplomats on Wednesday as marking “the very early phase” of a new effort to resolve the spat.
Nimetz, who met with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, said the Greek side appeared open to a solution on the name issue.
Ministry sources clarified that Nimetz did not make any specific proposal but presented a “framework” that could be used to find a solution. On the basis of this, the same sources expressed optimism that a proposal likely to be made by Nimetz in a subsequent meeting would satisfy Greece’s demand for a solution containing a geographical determinant.
On Thursday Nimetz is to travel on to Skopje where he is to have talks with FYROM government officials.
