Informative event in U.S. Congress on stability in Balkans

An informative event on the theme of stability in the Balkans and the future of the region was held in Congress under the auspices and presence of the Chairman of the U.S. Congress Subcommittee on Europe Robert Wexler and with the Greek Ambassador to Washington Alexandros Mallias being the main speaker.

Wexler praised Greece's role in southeastern Europe, stressing that Greece and the United States are cooperating constru-tively for the consolidation of peace, stability and democratic principles in the region.

He also pointed out that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) must respect the principle of good neighbourliness and stop irredentist propaganda against Greece. In this framework, he called on his fellow Congressmen to jointly sign a resolution by Congress referring to FYROM's propaganda.

After thanking the members of Congress for the unanimous adoption of resolution 629 on the wildfires in Greece, Greek ambassador Alexandros Mallias underlined our country's important role in the region of the Balkans, the strategic option to support the European and Euro-Atlantic pursuits of all the countries in the region and stressed that their accession to the EU and NATO necessitates compliance with accession criteria. Moreover, Mallias outlined the Greek position regarding the final status quo of Kosovo, noting that diplomacy must be given time and all the ground for achieving a solution that will secure the stability of the wider region must be exhausted.

On the question of FYROM, the Greek ambassador showed maps and school textbooks circulating in the neighbouring country which reveal the effort for a monopolistic use of Macedonia and its history and stressed that the options of the political leadership of FYROM are harming bilateral relations with Greece, they are not serving the interests of FYROM itself, which is deliberately ignoring and violating even the resolutions and practice of the UN, as appeared from a recent event at its General Assembly.

Mallias stressed that the issue of the name, which Greece is approaching with a sincere disposition for constructive negotiating, must be resolved with a mutually acceptable solution, before FYROM's possible accession to NATO.
Greece, he added, will be determined to use all the diplomatic means that it has at its disposal.