Tsipras, Zaev reap kudos in Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that she had given up hope that Athens and Skopje could ever find a solution to the decades-old name dispute, before congratulating the two prime ministers for reaching a settlement.

"I would like to express my warm congratulations to the two protagonists, [Zoran] Zaev of North Macedonia and [Alexis] Tsipras of Greece for their courage," Merkel told the Munich Security Conference, adding that the Prespes agreement can serve as an "excellent example" for other similar lingering conflicts. "If you show the necessary courage, you can find solutions," Merkel said.

Addressing the conference on Saturday, Tsipras said that "history is written by those who dare to make changes and stand on the right side of history. I am sure Zoran and I are standing on the right side of history."

The two premiers were to receive the Ewald...