LONDON: Macedonia has put forward four options to settle the decades-long dispute with Greece over its name, the country鈥檚 Prime Minister said on Tuesday.
Macedonia and its larger southern neighbor Greece have agreed to step up negotiations this year to resolve the disagreement which has frustrated Skopje鈥檚 long-held ambitions to join NATO and the European Union.
Athens, which like all members of both organiszations has a veto over admissions, objects to the former Yugoslav republic鈥檚 use of the name Macedonia, arguing that it, along with articles in Skopje鈥檚 constitution, could imply territorial claims over its own northern region of the same name.
Macedonia hopes the issue can be resolved in time for an EU meeting in June and a NATO summit in July, and is proposing a geographical 鈥榪ualifier鈥� to ensure there is clear differentiation in the two names.
鈥淭he suggestions are Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Upper Macedonia, Republic of Vardar Macedonia and Republic of Macedonia (Skopje),鈥� Macedonia鈥檚 Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told Reuters following a Western Balkans summit held in London.
Asked whether Greece would be happy with one of these options he added: 鈥淵es... They have more preferred options and some not so preferred options (in terms of the name).鈥�
He said the question that remained was whether there was 鈥渁 real need鈥� to change Macedonia鈥檚 constitution which is something Greece had also asked for in recent months.