GREECE PUSHING MACEDONIA NAME ISSUE WITHIN THE EU

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
.