GREECE/MACEDONIA: FM DISMISSES "REPUBLIC OF

UNCLAS ATHENS 000479

SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY - TEXT

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO NATO MK GR
SUBJECT: GREECE/MACEDONIA: FM DISMISSES "REPUBLIC OF
MACEDONIA (SKOPJE)" IN PARLIAMENT

REF: A) ATHENS 478

B) ATHENS 464

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) During debate in Parliament on the opposition's
motion to censure the government (ref A),FM Bakoyannis
stated publicly that the most recent Nimetz proposal
"Republic of Macedonia (Skopje)" was not acceptable; PM
Karmamanlis was less specific, but equally negative,
terming Skopje "intransigent" and affirming a Greek veto of
a NATO invitation absent an agreement. Greek commentators
are almost uniform in asserting that a Greek "veto" is
inevitable. Meanwhile, Greeks have responded negatively to
widely publicized images from Skopje of billboards
advertising an art exhibit displaying the Greek flag with a
superimposed swastika; Ambassador Speckhard has issued a
statement saying that the image is understandably offensive
and that we welcome the Macedonian government's reaction.
End Summary.
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Nimetz Proposal Dismissed in Parliament
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2. (U) As the three-day Parliamentary debate on the
opposition's motion to censure the government on social
security reform (ref A) wrapped up, both Foreign Minister
Bakoyannis and Prime Minister Karamanlis took the floor on
March 28 to respond to criticism of the government's
handling of the Macedonia Name issue. Bakoyannis said
explicitly that Greece does not accept the latest Nimetz
proposal:... there have been many Nimetz proposals on
the table. There will be more because this Nimetz proposal
has not been accepted by Greece."
Bakoyannis and the MFA
have continued to express that Greece will engage actively
in the Nimetz process. PM Karamanlis was less explicit,
but termed Skopje "intransigent," and affirmed that
"without a mutually agreed solution, there can be no
membership invitation (to join NATO)."


Commentators' Angst
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3. (U) As the Bucharest Summit approaches, Greek
commentators have -- almost uniformly -- determined that a
Greek "veto" is increasingly inevitable. Commentary has
focused on U.S. "pressure," mixing surprise and regret that
Greece is once again likely to "lose" this game, with
speculation today about the possibility of another three to
six months of negotiations. Many commentators have
expressed particular concern about possible engagement at
the senior-most levels at the Summit to resolve this issue,
suggesting that the U.S. (and to a much lesser extent other
Allies) do not appreciate the "decisiveness" of the Greek
position.

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Greek "Flags" in Macedonia
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4. (U) Meanwhile, the Greek public mood further soured
when Greek television began broadcasting images from Skopje
of billboards showing altered Greek flags with a Nazi
swastika in the place of the white cross; the billboards
advertised a photography exhibit about a family of "Aegean
Macedonians" who were expelled from Greece sixty years ago.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman George Koumoutsakos' statement
emphasized that "this incident . . . confirms, yet again,
the correctness of Greece's position, namely, that a
necessary condition for the establishment of relations of
solidarity and relations amongst allies is, in practice,
respect of good-neighborly relations between countries and
peoples." Yesterday's televised and today's written
statements out of Skopje distancing the government from the
offensive imagery will likely be picked up in Greece
tonight. In consultation with Embassy Skopje, Ambassador
Speckhard has also issued a statement saying that the image
was understandably offensive to Greeks and others who
suffered under Fascism and Nazism during World War II, and
that we welcome the Macedonian governmentQs reaction.

SPECKHARD