Robin O'Neil:
"Macedonia must not change its name and give in to Greece. If is does, then Greece will set fresh requests until it reaches the final goal, which is to make Macedonia disappear from the map, says first mediator in the Greece-Macedonia name dispute".
At the first international internet TV conference titled "Macedonia: Our Name and Identity, Our Pride and Dignity" at Ohrid TV station NTV, O'Neil said Macedonia should work hard to join EU and NATO.
"Macedonia already has two names, it does not need a third one. The state must focus on joining EU and NATO. When it achieves this, its temporary name will lose its importance and relevance. It must work hard on this", said the ambassador.
According to him, Greece does not observe the conditions set in the 1995 Interim Treaty, which give Macedonia the right to insist on EU and NATO accession under the name agreed with Resolution 817.
"I say this because I am convinced this name is just for temporary use and will cease to apply soon. However, if Macedonia accepts any other name, such as Republic of Macedonia-Vardar or Republic of Northern, Upper or any other Macedonia, then Greece will be encouraged to resume with other requests and blackmails that would be fatal for Macedonians and Macedonia", said O'Neil.
He reminded that Greece refused his proposal "Republic of Macedonia-Skopje", which he gave as mediator in 1992 as compromise for the country's UN accession and temporary use.
Aristotelis Tziampiris, assistant professor at the University of Piraeus, assessed there is rare opportunity for the name dispute to be settled until November.
"There is a are opportunity for the row's settlement with no winners or losers. Taking into account both countries are ruled by governments ready for compromise, I see an opportunity for a solution by November", underlined Tziampiris.
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