HMG WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH ATHENS AND SKOPJE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 001112

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/SCE, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2018
TAGS: PREL NATO EU MK GR UK
SUBJECT: HMG WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH ATHENS AND SKOPJE
ON MACEDONIA NAME/NATO ACCESSION ISSUE

REF: STATE 40462

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Maura Connelly for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) HMG has been engaging, and will continue to engage
with, senior Greek leadership to encourage Athens to be more
flexible in its position on the Macedonia name issue. FCO
Balkans Group Deputy Director Adam Bye said that the British
Ambaasador (HMA) to Greece had met with Foreign Minister
Bakoyiani on April 14, stressing many of the points contained
reftel. Bakoyiani's reaction showed little movement from
that of the Greek position we have heard over the past few
months - that it was Skopje refusing to be flexible, and that
Greece has worked as hard as it could within the UN mediating
process. According to Bye, Bakoyiani also added that
progress was unlikely before the June 1 Macedonian elections.
Bye said the FCO would summarize the points contained reftel
for HMA in Athens, advise him of the other countries the USG
has requested to assist, and ask him to approach the FM once
again. HMA may also contact Ambassador Speckhard to discuss
joint approaches to the Greek government.


2. (C) Bye underlined that HMG is as concerned as the USG
about the Greece-Macedonia impasse, and its impact on the
NATO Alliance and Balkan stability and in the longer term, EU
unity. He shared a readout of an April 18 video conference
which he attended and included representatives from UK
Missions to Greece, Macedonia, NATO and the EU: the UK
appreciates and will continue to support U.S. efforts to
remove the Greek block on Macedonian accession to NATO; the
June 1 Macedonian elections represent an additional
challenge, and the UK will urge political parties on all
sides not to politicize the name issue or appeal to
nationalistic instincts to gain support; while the UK shares
the U.S. desire that this issue be resolved within the next
few weeks, it is more likely to require a "sustained push,"
at least until the Macedonian elections; and, the UK will
lobby other EU members to exert influence on Athens.

Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
LEBARON