US embassy cable - 05ATHENS838

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000838 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/SE AND EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, MK, GR, MACEDONIA 
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA NAME ISSUE: MFA SAYS MACEDONIA NEEDS TO 
SHOW FLEXIBILITY 
 
REF: SKOPJE 400 
 
Classified By: AMB. CHARLES P. RIES FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C)  Poloff contacted Vassilis Costis, deputy head of the 
MFA's Balkan Directorate, on March 24 for an update on 
Greek-Macedonian relations.  Costis made the following points: 
 
-- Greece had seen a "very negative, intransigent" stance on 
the part of Macedonia in the aftermath of the USG decision. 
This had been made manifest in the last two UN-sponsored 
negotiation sessions on the name issue.  As such, it could 
not be "business as usual" and Costis said this feeling may 
have been reflected in fewer contacts between the two 
countries. 
 
-- However, Greece's posture could not be characterized as a 
freezing of relations, just that Athens now looked at 
contacts with Macedonia on a "case by case" basis to register 
its displeasure with Macedonia's inflexibility. 
 
-- Macedonian FM Mitreva was the most inflexible of any 
leader in the government and had played a substantial role in 
the current deadlock on the name issue.  FM Mitreva's request 
to visit Athens had to be weighed in relation to this 
unhelpful role. 
 
-- Greece had moved off its initial refusal to consider 
options that included the word "Macedonia."  It was willing 
to show even greater flexibility if Macedonia would also. 
Athens hoped that the next round of negotiations would make 
progress. 
 
2. (C)  Maja Balaburski, Macedonian DCM in Athens, confirmed 
to us on March 24 that Greece had put "soft pressure" on 
Macedonia after the USG decision by holding up bilateral 
agreements and generally making it more difficult for her 
Embassy to have access. 
Ries