Yesterday, Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said in an interview for the TV programe “Contra” that Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev chose which name he preferred from the three proposals by mediator Matthew Nimetz – North, Upper and New Macedonia, but Kotzias did not say specifically which name it was.
Today, Kotzias is expecting a telephone conversation between the prime ministers, regarding finalized negotiations and an agreement to be reached with which will result in both countries being winners.
“I think that today we have taken decisive steps and tomorrow the two prime ministers will meet and will finish the conversation that they started today”, said the Head of Greek diplomacy in the interview and explained that “the negotiations are not a straight line but a busy road with ups, downs and difficulties “, and therefore Kotzias said it takes patience and clarity.
Regarding the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective of Macedonia, Kotzias said that with a ratified agreement in the Macedonian Parliament, Greece will then give the green light to the EU’s Foreign Ministers Summit on 25 June, and if it goes according to plan, NATO will send an invitation concerning membership to our country.
Regarding NATO membership, he explained that the invitation is what can be given, as planned, if it is in line at the Summit on 11 and 12 of July, and he added that this invitation requires ratification from all member states.
Kotzias said that Macedonian language is not something that Greece can give or take, because it is something that has already been given by the UN, but also in accordance with ISO standards.
The Head of Greek diplomacy repeated several times that the agreement would clearly show that “the neighboring country has nothing to do with old and ancient Macedonia, and the language belongs to the Slavic group of languages.”
