REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE ON GREEK AMENDMENTS LINKING

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000268 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2017 TAGS: PREL NATO GR MK SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE ON GREEK AMENDMENTS LINKING MACEDONIAN NATO ACCESSION TO NAME ISSUE REF: 4/19/07 USNATO JONES E-MAIL TO EUR/RPM VOVCHUK Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Richard G. Olson for reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is a request for guidance. Please see para 7. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY. Negotiations among NATO Allies over the text of the 2006-2007 report on Macedonia's progress under the Membership Action Plan (MAP) hit an impasse April 24 over Greek amendments that link the dispute over Macedonia's name with its application for NATO membership. Several Allies objected to the linkage and three compromise proposals were tabled, although none won consensus. USNATO requests guidance in time for the next meeting of the NATO Senior Political Committee to discuss the report on April 26. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) During an April 24 meeting of NATO's Senior Political Committee (reinforced) to review the text of a report on Macedonia's progress in the MAP for 2006-2007, Greece insisted on several amendments that linked the resolution of its dispute with Macedonia over its name to Macedonia's NATO membership prospects. As reported reftel, Greece had proposed amending a sentence referring to the name issue that had previously read "A mutually acceptable solution to this outstanding issue will contribute to the further stabilization of the region" to read "In view of the country's final preparations for accession to NATO, a mutually acceptable solution to this outstanding issue will contribute to the further stabilization of the region and will promote compliance with the Alliance's enlargement principle of good-neighborly relations." ¶4. (C) The UK, supported by the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Turkey, and the U.S., objected to the linkage the amendments drew between the name issue and Macedonia's application for NATO membership. The Greek representative said that while Greece did not intend to make resolution of the name issue an additional criteria for Macedonia's NATO accession, it wanted to send a message about the seriousness of the need to resolve the issue. ¶5. (C) Three proposals were tabled, although none won consensus. The Netherlands proposed taking out the word "enlargement". The UK proposed deleting the phrase "In view of the country's final preparations for accession to NATO" and the word "enlargement". The U.S. proposed deleting the phrase "In view of the country's final preparations for accession to NATO" and all references to the Alliance principle on good neighborly relations so the final clause would read "and will promote good neighborly-relations." The U.S. argued the UK proposal did not go far enough since the Alliance principle of good neighborly relations was well-known to relate to enlargement so an implied connection between the name issue and NATO membership was still present in the UK text. The U.S. suggested Greece focus on strengthening wording calling for a resolution to the name issue as a way to improve regional stability and remove any language linking the issue to NATO accession. ¶6. (C) In response to the proposals, Greece said it could agree to remove the word "enlargement" (the Dutch proposal) or delete the opening phrase, but not both. ¶7. (C) The SPC(R) will meet again on Thursday, April 26 in an attempt to reach agreement on the report in time for the North Atlantic Council meeting with Macedonia on May 9 to discuss it. USNATO requests guidance for the April 26 meeting. A read-out on other outstanding issues in the draft report as well as the marked-up text have been sent separately by e-mail to EUR/RPM. NULAND