Ukraine Link Suspected to Macedonia ‘Name’ Talks

The format of Tuesday's talks in New York on Macedonia's name, which Greece disputes, is the same as in late March.

UN mediator Nimetz will first meet Macedonia’s negotiator, Zoran Jolevski, and Greece’s Adamantios Vassilakis separately, and then at a joint discussion.

As in March, the talks are expected to bring nothing new to the table beyond keeping the pace going. Both countries are engaged in election activities, which limits their leaders’ room for negotiation.

Macedonia held general and presidential elections in April 27 and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, whose party won both polls, is now in a process of forming a new government. Greece, meanwhile, is holding local elections this month.

The unusual timing of both the previous talks and the latest talks - which goes against the usual practice of suspending talks during elections - has prompted observers to suspect a link with the crisis in Ukraine.

Risto Nikovski, a Macedonian diplomat, said there was renewed interest in Brussels and Washington in solving open issues in the Balkans in light of the worsening conflict in Ukraine and growing tension with Russia.

Nikovski said he expected renewed pressure to solve the long-standing issue ahead of the NATO summit in September, so that Macedonia can be invited to join the alliance, which would strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.

“The chances [of accession in September] are not big but they exist. In that context, it is important for Macedonia to play wisely and not accept bad proposals for a solution," he said.

He believes that Macedonia should join NATO under its provisional UN name, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, FYROM.

The term was coined under Greek pressure in...