Hopes for move on FYROM fade
The United Nations special envoy, appointed to mediate in a dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) regarding the latter’s official name, yesterday avoided making any new proposals for a compromise, despite earlier suggestions by Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis that there had been «movement» on the issue. Following talks with Bakoyannis on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York, Matthew Nimetz said he did «not believe it would be useful» to make a new proposal. Bakoyannis had discussed the matter on Saturday with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. She had also broached the Cyprus problem during the talks. Bakoyannis met too with Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier, following Ottawa’s decision last Friday to recognize FYROM by its «constitutional» name, the Republic of Macedonia, to which Greece objects. Greece’s FM also met with her newly appointed Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan.
