Matthew Nimetz

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias (l), his counterpart Nikola Dimitrov of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) (r) and UN mediator for the name dispute Matthew Nimetz share a handshake ahead of their meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday.

The foreign ministers of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Nikos Kotzias and Nicola Dimitrov, resume negotiations over the name dispute on Thursday in New York under the aegis of United Nations mediator Matthew Nimetz.

With Greece having officially rejected "Ilindenska Makedonija" as a candidate name for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, talks have reportedly continued behind the scenes in a bid to break the deadlock and resolve the decades-old dispute.

Macedonia and Greece need to show leadership over the latest proposal for a solution to the "name" dispute, which includes the name "Republic of Ilinden Macedonia" for all uses; otherwise they risk taking a step back in the ongoing "name" talks, Macedonia's Foreign Minister, Nikola Dimitrov, said on Sunday.

Athens said Monday it welcomed Skopje's acceptance of a Greek demand that any name agreed between the two countries be "erga omnes," i.e. to be used domestically and internationally, adding however that the two sides would ideally agree on one of the names proposed by UN mediator Matthew Nimetz.

A flurry of diplomacy is under way amid reports of a new push to resolve the "Macedonia" name dispute with the possible drafting of an international treaty among the options said to be under consideration.

The Prime Ministers of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev, will meet on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia on May 17, UN mediator Matthew Nimetz said on Saturday, after a six-hour meeting with the foreign ministers of both countries in Athens.

Athens and Skopje are reportedly examining a scenario whereby the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) will be given enough time to approve a deal that will ensure that its name will be used "erga omnes" - domestically and internationally - and to review its constitution.

Talks scheduled to take place in Athens on Saturday between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his counterpart from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Nikola Dimitrov, on the Balkan country's name are expected to be pivotal, diplomatic sources say.

Amid growing international pressure for a solution to the name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), diplomats are to resume efforts to break the deadlock this week.