Cablegate: Germany to Take Back Seat in Ongoing Macedonia

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DE RUEHRL #1496 3280925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADDF625F MSI3596-695)
R 240925Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5882
INFO RUCNMUC/EU CANDIDATE STATES
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 0204
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0896
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS BERLIN 001496

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C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC PREL EUN NATO GR MK GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY TO TAKE BACK SEAT IN ONGOING MACEDONIA
NAME DISPUTE

REF: 117721

1. (SBU) MFA Deputy Director for the Balkans Marc Bogdahn
told poloff on November 18 in response to reftel points that
while Germany supports UN negotiator Nimetz's efforts to
resolve Macedonia's name dispute with Greece, Germany had no
plans to actively lobby the parties. Bogdahn was downbeat
about prospects that the European Council could set a date to
begin Macedonia's EU accession negotiations during its
December 10 meeting. Bogdahn believed that Greece would
still
actively oppose any such decision until the name issue was
resolved, making it impossible to move forward within the
Council.

2. (SBU) Drawing on reftel,Poloff expressed USG support for
Macedonia's EU aspirations and praised Macedonian progress as
noted in the European Commission report. Bogdahn said
Germany shared our views; however, he emphasized that the
name
dispute was a bilateral issue between Macedonia and Greece in
which Germany did not want to become overly involved.
MURPHY

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