A U.N. mediator on the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece admitted on Monday the issue is not easy to resolve, news reaching here from Skopje said.
"It is not an easy issue," Matthew Nimetz, the U.N. special envoy, said. "The position here and that in Greece are clear."
However, there is a willingness to solve the problem, Nimetz said after his talks with Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki.
The U.N. special envoy visited Macedonia on Monday and he is going to Athens where he is set to meet with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.
Greece has been opposed to the name of the Republic of Macedonia since the country broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991.
It has repeatedly threatened to veto Macedonia's NATO membership aspiration if a solution can't be found to the name dispute between the two countries.
Greece says the name of Macedonia implies a claim the tiny western Balkan country on the northern Greek province of Macedonia and could destabilize the region.
Instead, it asks Macedonia to use the name of "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" or FYROM, in short, under which the country joined the U.N. in 1993.
Macedonian top officials have said before Monday's meeting that Macedonia's position is that the country is ready for constructive talks with Greece over the name issue. However, it will accept no name other than its constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia.
Source: Xinhua
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