US State Department - Greece and Macedonia to Negotiate Refugee Claims!

"MR. MCCORMACK: Lambros.
Daily Press Briefing -- July 17

QUESTION: On FYROM. Mr. McCormack, the Skopje Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in a letter to the Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis raised the issues of the so-called, “Macedonia ethnicity, language, minority, and property” in northern Greece. Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni accused the Skopjen leader that deliberately is trying to undermine the UN process for a solution on the name issue. Any comment?

MR. MCCORMACK: This is a matter between Macedonia and Greece. I understand the correspondence was between those two parties, so I’d refer you to either party for comment about it. From our point of view, we would like to see Macedonia and Greece work out the name issue, which is a completely different topic. I know a lot of people are devoting a lot of time and energy to that topic. We certainly would like to see those negotiations come to a successful completion soon.

QUESTION: Are you planning to intervene between the two sides on this new issue since you want FYROM to become a NATO member as soon as possible?

MR. MCCORMACK: As I understand it, it’s an issue between the two countries, not involving the United States."