GREECE/MACEDONIA: GREEK NAME NEGOTIATOR BRIEFS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001575

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/SE AND EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO EU MK GR
SUBJECT: GREECE/MACEDONIA: GREEK NAME NEGOTIATOR BRIEFS
DIPLOMATIC CORPS ON ICJ CASE

REF: ATHENS 1569 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: DCM Deborah McCarthy for 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (SBU) In a hastily arranged November 19 briefing for all
NATO and EU Diplomatic Missions and the European Commission
Representative, Greek name negotiator Adamantios Vassilakis
made the following points:

-- Greece intends to continue to work on a solution under the
auspices of UN Envoy Nimetz on the name issue.

-- Greece understands that "the other side" is also willing
to continue discussions.

-- Greece has been in touch with Nimitz and believes that he
will continue his efforts and that there will be an upcoming
meeting/contact.

-- The specific case filed against Greece is only over one
article of the Interim Accord - Article 11 (NOTE: In this
article, Greece "reserves the right to object" to Macedonia's
membership in international, multilateral, and regional
organizations and institutions if Macedonia seeks to be
referred to in the organization under any name other than the
interim name of "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia."
END NOTE).

-- The issue of the name itself cannot be considered by the
ICJ. That is ruled out by the Interim Accord in Article 21
(NOTE: Article 21 states that differences in the
implementation of the Interim Accord can be referred to the
ICJ with the exception of the "differences referred to in
Article 5, paragraph 1." Article 5, paragraph 1 is the
provision of the Interim Accord in which the parties agreed
to continue negotiations on the name itself under UN
auspices. END NOTE).

-- The GOG has "not yet determined its legal position on the
ICJ case," but will defend itself at the ICJ.


2. (SBU) Amb. Vassilakis reviewed the latest well known
Greek public positions on key aspects of the discussion. He
indicated that Greece intends to continue to work to find a
solution. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson who was also
present termed the latest round of talks as containing "ideas
which could lead to a text with the perspective of a
solution."


3. (C) In a private conversation with DCM following the
briefing, Vassilakis said that he expects Nimetz-led name
negotiations to resume "next month." Vassilakis added that
he would be in the United States for the Thanksgiving period,
and he would call Nimetz in New York during that time.
SPECKHARD