UN Envoy Travels To Greece For Macedonia Talks

UN envoy travels to Greece, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for talks

23 June 2008 - The United Nations mediator in talks between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will head to the region later this week for another round of consultations on the long-running dispute over the name of the latter country.

Matthew Nimetz, the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, will be in Athens, where he is expected to meet Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and other Greek officials, on Thursday.

The envoy is then scheduled to travel to Skopje on Friday for discussions with President Branko Crvenkoski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and other officials.

Mr. Nimetz has frequently held talks with the two sides in recent months - including a round earlier this month in New York - to try to reach a deal, but he said in March that there has been no progress on the issue, despite an acknowledgement by both sides that a solution was in their best interests.

The Interim Accord of 13 September 1995, which was brokered by the UN, details the difference between Athens and Skopje on the name issue. It obliges the two sides to continue negotiations under the Secretary-General's auspices in a bid to reach agreement.

ENDS

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