The dispute over the name of Macedonia can be found high on the list diplomatic priorities of the Greek government this fall, in the face of strong US pressure.
Following the return to power of Alexis Tsipras, the Greek media has continued to report that the United States has, and continues too exert concentrated pressure for the dispute to be resolved.
The Newspaper, ‘Etnos’ reports that an upcoming visit from the US Secretary of State John Kerry, the issue of Cyprus and the dispute over the name of Macedonia will feature prominently.
The Greek paper had, a few weeks earlier suggested that US Deputy of State Victoria Nuland, had laid the grounds for Mr Kerry’s visit to counter unpopularity at US pressure for the dispute to be resolved.
The Greek newspaper ‘Kathimerini’ has highlighted Deputy Secretary of State Ms Nuland as the main instigator of the pressure to have the dispute resolved by Athens and Skopje. ‘Kathimerini’ goes on to say that correspondence between the Greek Foreign Ministry and its ambassadors in Washington and Skopje identify Ms Nuland as having a personal goal to push the Skopje Government for a resolution.
This, according to “Kathimerini”, is a matter of concern for Greece amid reports that the US is preparing a new invitation for Macedonia’s accession to NATO, without being at one of the summits of the Alliance. Such a step, Athens fears would paint Greece in a poor light, forcing it to use her veto if any solution to the name dispute is not agreeable to Greece.
