US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS1550

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MK, GR, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: GREECE PUSHING MACEDONIA NAME ISSUE WITHIN THE EU 
 
 
Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, PolOff, Reasons 1.4 (B/D) 
 
1. (C) The Council Secretariat's Macedonia desk and a Dutch 
diplomat who works on Balkan issues tell us the Greeks are 
pressing to get the EU to pressure Macedonia on its on-going 
name dispute.  Next Monday's (April 25) General Affairs and 
External Relations Council is due to issue Conclusions on the 
final round of Macedonia elections, calling for proper 
response to concerns flagged by the OSCE.  Given this 
opening, the Greeks are seeking to add a reference to the "UN 
arbitrator Matthew Nimetz's most recent proposal" (or 
something to that effect), calling it "a good basis for 
negotiations", and calling on all parties to respond 
positively.  Our Dutch contact said several member states 
don't view this language as particularly germane to the topic 
at hand (conduct of elections), and want to keep the EU out 
of what they hope will remain a bilateral debate/negotiation 
on the name.  But that does not mean the Greeks won't get 
some reference inserted in the Conclusions next week. 
 
2.  (C) The Greeks have also approached Solana, asking for 
him to pressure Skopje to respond positively to "Nimetz's 
proposal".  Solana has spoken in the last week with not just 
the Greeks, but also Nimetz and Macedonian President 
Crvenkovski.  But we were told that as far as Solana has been 
willing to go in talks with the Macedonians is to note that 
some ideas are on the table, stress the importance of 
reaching a solution on this issue, and express the hope that 
the parties will take various proposals seriously. 
 
3. (C) Solana's staffer said he still did not believe the 
issue was particularly close to a solution.  At least at the 
staff level, the Council Secretariat's analysis is that the 
best chance for a solution on the name will come at the end 
of this year, between a (presumably) positive Commission 
"avis" on opening accession negotiations with Macedonia and 
the Council's decision (by unanimity, meaning with Greek 
assent) to accept the recommendation and open negotiations. 
That's when Athens would be presumed to have the greatest 
leverage over Skopje. 
 
4. (C) There is a sense among EU officials here that Skopje 
is simply playing for time and believe they might be able to 
"get all but Athens" to accept "Macedonia" as the country's 
name, while Athens is getting nervous about the consequences 
of letting the issue drag on.  While not necessarily viewing 
Skopje's attitude as the most constructive, several EU member 
state representatives in Brussels who handle Western Balkan 
issues have told us they think "it would just be easiest to 
get on with it and use 'Macedonia'" -- although in a classic 
EU display of courage they all hope some other member state 
(Germany is the common example) will lead the way, since 
their own government won't or can't. 
 
MCKINLEY 
.