Posted on 11/05/2004 7:20:19 AM PST by Destro
"PA" News
Fri 5 Nov 2004
1:50pm (UK)
Greece Threatens Macedonia in Name Spat
Greece is to block neighbour Macedonia from joining Nato or the EU unless a dispute over the Balkan nation’s name is resolved.
Greece objects to the country’s constitutional name, the Republic of Macedonia, because it says it implies territorial claims toward Greece, which has a territory called Macedonia.
The US, however, announced yesterday that it was recognising the name, bringing a sharp complaint from the Greek government.
Greece’s warning today appeared aimed at preventing European nations from following the US lead.
“It is well known that the accession of a European country to the EU or Nato requires the unanimous agreement of all existing members,” government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros said.
“Greece will not be part of such a decision unless a commonly acceptable solution is reached.”
Macedonia, which won independence from Yugoslavia, joined the United Nations under the name “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,” or FYRM, to sidestep Greek objections.
Greece, the EU and international organisations use the FYRM acronym to refer to Macedonia. The EU said it has no plans for now to change its policy on the name.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the decision to recognise Macedonia’s name came in part to boost the government as it tries to defeat a referendum backed by the country’s nationalists that would block a new decentralisation law. (In other words the State Dept. did this to bribe the Slavs into accepting an Albanian autonomous state created by the Albanian rebels-ethnic cleansed those areas of Slavs)
The law would give the Balkan country’s ethnic Albanians more power. International officials back the law because it is in line with a 2001 Western-brokered peace deal that ended six months of fighting between government troops and ethnic Albanian rebels.
Is the State Dept run by morons or traitors? Both?
Easy way to settle this whole stupid name thing: rock, paper, scissors, best three out of five. Winner gets to call itself "Macedonia", loser has to call itself "Moby".
During the Clinton administration, there was a news story about US troops being sent to the Greek Macedonia. The article included interviews with Greeks who were expressing confusion as to why the US would send troops there and speculating that they were sent to the wrong Macedonia.
Really don't see the point, France has nothing that we Texans would want.
I believe the State department falls under the President of the United States.
Will Greece want to take us on over Athens, Texas?
Dime Box, Texas is the same size as its name, just a little NW of Junction. The drive is worth it though.
That's absurd. We have the state of New Mexico, it doens't mean we have territorial aspirations toward Mexico. I seriously doubt that any intelligent Greek can honestly believe that Macedonia wants any part of Greek land. How could they, there are no significant number of Macedonians in Greece. What justification would they have for any claims to Greek land?
Leftover Clintonistas and Abu Powell.
Which is why Americans get into trouble when they wonder off into the world where they have hard time understanding such things. Nations have gone to war for less (The War of Jenkin's Ear).
You know, your comment to the article is possibly the most absurd thing I have read on this site in months.
Traitors?
Well, since Macedonia took over the World at one point, you don't want them to have a reason to make a claim to your territory. These things matter in the Balkans, because the territory has changed hands so many times.
The fact that nations have gone to war for less does very little to support the contentions that it is Americans are the stupid ones.
Communist guerillas then poured into Greece from this are until they were defeated.
The legacy remained and when Yugoslavia fell apart this area once again claimed all of Macedonia - including the Greek area - as their own.
So to put up New Mexico, etc as examples - it just is not the same.
The State Dept just made a stable situation unstable - all to push for the creation of a new Albanian (Muslim) dominated statelet.
Please! So Greece was OK with this until our State Department decided to recognize the name change?
Remember - you're supposed to be Scottish, not some snivelling little Greek snotty all bent out of shape about this non-issue.
And just because I know I can make the fool out of you on the subject, why don't you explain what you mean by "a new Albanian (Muslim) dominated statelet"?
It's like being in high school and playing dodgeball against 3rd graders.
You feel sorry about banging the little twerps around after awhile, even if they do insist on coming back for more.
Greece was ok with the status quo. Greece is "Macedonia's" largest investor and private employer/business partner. Greek investments are the only thing keeping them afloat - this happened because all concerned promised to not rock the boat and take it slow and discuss things through negotiations. This blindsided the Greeks and they will retaliate - why take such actions? Bribe the Slaves so they can vote yes so the Albanian rebels can be placated?
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