Greece, FYROM name dispute talks narrow, intensify, says UN envoy

Talks to resolve a decades-old dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the latter’s name have narrowed, and ministers will continue negotiations in Brussels, United Nations envoy Matthew Nimetz said on Friday.

O υπουργός Εξωτερικών της Ελλάδας Νίκος Κοτζιάς με τον Σκοπιανό ομόλογό του, Νίκολα Ντιμιτροφ Source: AAP Image/EPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI

The two countries have recently renewed efforts to solve the long-running dispute, which has frustrated FYROM’s hopes of joining the European Union and NATO, and are scrambling to reach a deal before an EU summit in June.

Nimetz met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his FYROM counterpart, Nikola Dimitrov, in New York over the past day and a half.

Stergos Kastelloriou reports.