Greece in the past prtetended to be 'constructive' in the name negotiations, but that was in the past. Today there isn't even an attempt on Athens' part to be constructive in any shape or form even though its economy is solely dependent on handouts by the EU.
Athens believes there is no need of a trilateral meeting of the Greek and Macedonian foreign ministers, Dimitris Avramopoulos and Nikola Poposki, with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule.
"The Greek side looks forward to the upcoming meeting of the representatives of the two sides with UN envoy Matthew Nimetz in New York, on 29-30 January, to ascertain the extent to which there are prospects for progress, and, consequently, at this stage there is no issue of a meeting of the ministers of the two countries with Fule," Greece's foreign ministry has said.
MoFA spokesman Gregory Delavekouras in a written statement says that "Greece is not opposed to meetings in principle, under the condition that there be good preparation and, mainly, that a substantial result be ensured."
"It should be noted that the substance of the negotiation process under Nimetz, which was reactivated thanks to the Greek initiative, is not connected in any way with the European Union and its organs, but has been formulated based on the resolutions of the UN Security Council," reads the spokesman's statement.
"In his letter of response, Avramopoulos has informed Fule that in the coming time, full use must be made of the existing channels of communication and cooperation between officials of the Greek Foreign Ministry and the Commission, so that the latter can be kept fully abreast of the course of the negotiations under the UN, given that the resolution of the name issue is now a prerequisite for the opening of FYR Macedonia’s accession negotiations with the EU," it says.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule in letters sent to the countries' foreign ministers - Poposki and Avramopoulos - has proposed a trilateral meeting to be organised in order the European Commission to provide direct insight into the name talks and to upgrade the conclusions adopted in December by the Council of EU.
On Wednesday, Macedonia's FM Nikola Poposki welcomed Fule's proposal for being positive and for offering a chance for additional building of trust between the countries.
