United Nations mediator Matthew Nimitz takes questions from the media during his press conference in the government building in Skopje. Photo: Kathimerini.
United Nations’ special mediator Matthew Nimetz stressed the need for progress.
After visiting the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) where he called for a swift solution to the lingering name dispute with Greece, United Nations’ special mediator Matthew Nimetz arrives in Athens for talks with Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos.
Comments made in Skopje suggest that Nimetz would like to scale back the scope of negotiations between the two Balkan neighbours that had recently extended into issues of national identity and language.
“Identity is something I’m not negotiating. Peoples have identities and the UN does not negotiate identities,” Nimetz said.
However, also under growing pressure from EU governments, Nimetz stressed the need for progress. “It is really important to try to resolve issues between countries rather than let them fester on and on,” Nimetz said, although admitting he had only “some ideas” to contribute on how to resolve the dispute.
Source: ekathimerini
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