Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said that it is "imperative" that Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) resolve the dispute over the official name of the latter country, and reiterated the determination of the United Nations to help with the process. "Both sides need to demonstrate commitment by promoting a positive atmosphere through their actions and public statements," Mr. Ban said in his address to FYROM's Parliament. "My Personal Envoy, Mr. Nimetz, and I are determined to facilitate a mutually agreeable solution soon."
The envoy, Matthew Nimetz, has been heavily involved in UN efforts to reach an agreement between the two countries, in line with a UN-brokered interim accord in 1995 which details the differences between the two over the name of FYROM, and obliges both Athens and Skopje to continue negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General to try to reach an agreement.
The UN chief has spent the past days in South-East Europe, promoting the partnership between the United Nations and the region, as well as discussing common challenges and future opportunities. Earlier, he visited Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, and, after FYROM, he will go on to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Addressing the media alongside FYROM's President Gjorge Ivanov today, Mr. Ban said that the name issue was one of a number of issues the two men had discussed in a meeting. "I emphasized my commitment to facilitating a prompt resolution," he said, adding that Mr. Nimetz will brief the Greek Government about the discussions held in Skopje and will "engage more seriously and deeply to help facilitate the resolution of this issue as soon as possible."
Nimetz would be dispatched to Athens immediately at the end of the visit to South-East Europe, the Secretary-General added, "to explain what we have discussed and I will try to engage with Prime Minister [Antonis] Samaras to help expedite this process."
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