DANES PRESS BOTH SIDES IN MACEDONIA NAME ISSUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000231 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2018 TAGS: PREL NATO PGOV MK GR DA SUBJECT: DANES PRESS BOTH SIDES IN MACEDONIA NAME ISSUE REF: A. STATE 40462 ¶B. COPENHAGEN 183 Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Bill Mozdzierz, reasons 1.4b,d (C) In response to our ref (A) demarche urging an approach to the Greeks on the Macedonia name issue, Danish MFA Head of Department for Eastern Europe Ruben Madsen stated that Denmark remains frustrated with the lack of progress and believes that greater pressure must be brought to bear on both sides in the dispute. Madsen reported that Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller "shook up" Macedonian FM Milososki during their April 10 meeting here by emphasizing Macedonian responsibility to do more and by refusing to take a clear side. FM Moller has delivered a similarly strong message to his Greek counterpart as well, Madsen assured us, and will do so again, probably next week, but cautioned that both parties need to be pushed hard. Madsen echoed Danish PM Rasmussen's and FM Moller's view -- in response to our pre-Bucharest demarche (ref B) -- that Denmark unfortunately has little leverage over the Greeks and Macedonians in any case, but that the Danes will do what they can to help move the process forward. CAIN