[10SKOPJE77] MACEDONIA: SENATORS VOINOVICH AND SHAHEEN URGE SPEEDY SOLUTION TO NAME DISPUTE

Published by Wikileaks & Bivol.bg

 date: 2/23/2010 15:26 refid: 10SKOPJE77 origin: Embassy Skopje classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY destination:  header: VZCZCXRO1017 RR RUEHIK DE RUEHSQ #0077 0541526 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 231526Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8904 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0612 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3783 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC  ----------------- header ends ----------------  UNCLAS SKOPJE 000077    SENSITIVE  SIPDIS,H PASS    E.O. 12958: N/A  TAGS: PREL, PGOV, GR, MK  SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: SENATORS VOINOVICH AND SHAHEEN URGE SPEEDY  SOLUTION TO NAME DISPUTE    SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY    1.  (SBU) Summary:  Macedonia is committed to solving the name  dispute with Greece, but Athens must also compromise, PM Gruevski  told Senators Voinovich and Shaheen Feb 17.  Gruevski outlined his  government's continuing commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration and  his efforts to reach out to Greek PM Papandreou.  Senators Voinovich  and Shaheen praised Macedonia's progress in building a multiethnic  state and expressed U.S. gratitude for Macedonia's contributions to  Afghanistan.  They urged that Macedonia and Greece reach an  agreement on the name issue urgently.  (End Summary)  2. (SBU) Senators George Voinovich and Jeanne Shaheen paid a brief  visit to Skopje Feb 17, meeting Ambassador Reeker and the Country  Team, then PM Gruevski.  Gruevski opened the meeting by thanking the  United States for its continued friendship and support for  Macedonia's NATO accession.  The PM assured the Senators that  Macedonia remained fully committed to solving the name issue and  joining NATO.  He also noted that he had reached out to Greek PM  Papandreou by phone in order to establish a dialogue with him in  order to resolve the issue, and offered to meet Papandreou at the  latter's convenience.  Gruevski said Macedonia would do its best to  resolve the name dispute with Greece in the first half of 2010 but  felt that a resolution would be almost impossible without the help  of the international community, and especially the U.S.  He also  lamented the difficult political situation he was faced with in  solving the name issue, claiming the Greeks wanted also to "change  our identity."  Gruevski repeated that it was in Macedonia's best  interests to have positive relations with Greece, but any solution  would have to be acceptable to the citizens in both countries.  In  Macedonia, any agreement would require holding a referendum.  3. (SBU) Senators Voinovich and Shaheen both expressed their  gratitude to the PM for Macedonia's continued contributions to NATO  and the international peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.  They  also emphasized the importance of Macedonia's speedy accession to  NATO, both for Macedonia's as well as the Alliance's future.  Senator Voinovich told the PM that Washington was committed to  helping Macedonia find a resolution to the name issue and stressed  to the PM that it was critical that it be resolved as quickly as  possible.  Both Senators said they believed Macedonia's window of  opportunity for finding a resolution was closing.  Senator Voinovich  said Greek PM Papandreou showed a clear understanding of how  important an expedient resolution to the name issue was during their  recent meeting and that this created an opportunity for Gruevski.  Senator Voinovich also said he was concerned that any political  fallout from the economic crisis in Greece would distract attention  from the name issue and therefore made a quick resolution even more  important.  Both Senators told Gruevski that if he and Papandreou  made solving the issue a top priority and showed strong leadership a  resolution could be achieved.    4. (U) CODEL Voinovich cleared this cable.    REEKER 

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