Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas hosted a working luncheon today in honor of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Greece-FYROM talks, Matthew Nimetz, who visited our country within the framework of the negotiations at the UN provided for in the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. Greece’s representative to the negotiations, Ambassador Adiamantios Vassilakis, and Ministry officials participated in the luncheon.
This was Foreign Minister Dimas’s first meeting with Mr. Nimetz, providing the opportunity for a review of the efforts made so far and an examination of the next steps in the process.
The Greek side took the opportunity of the meeting to reiterate to Mr. Nimetz Greece’s firm support for his mandate and ongoing efforts towards progress in the negotiations so that a definitive solution might be reached on the issue of the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The Greek side also stressed that in order for a solution to be achieved, political will must be shown by both sides, underscoring that Greece has already exhibited its constructive stance at the negotiating table.
Particular emphasis was put on the need to create a climate between the two countries that will allow for progress to be made. In this context, the Greek side expressed its concern at the ongoing actions and statements of the FYROM side aggravating the atmosphere in, and undermining the prospects of, the negotiations. Greece wants relations between the two countries to be governed by the principles of good neighborly relations and is working in that direction, awaiting similar conduct from the other side.
Finally, the Greek side expressed it readiness to participate constructively in the next steps in the process.
February 22, 2012