Tsipras, Merkel discuss FYROM name talks
As talks between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the latter’s name slowly progress, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday discussed the matter by phone.
According to Greek government sources, Tsipras stressed the need for a solution to the name dispute while also drawing attention to an increase in recent Turkish violations as well as its renewal of a navtex reserving an area inside Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for a military exercise.
Tsipras and Merkel are expected to meet again on the sidelines of a European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels on Friday. Ahead of that meeting, Merkel is scheduled to meet with FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev today in Berlin.
Zaev has expressed optimism for a solution and hopes of a breakthrough before a NATO summit in July when FYROM aims to have its candidacy for accession reconsidered.
