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No deadline for solving Macedonia name dispute - UN envoy

Other News Materials 26 June 2008 18:19 (UTC +04:00)

UN envoy Matthew Nimetz said on Thursday there was no deadline for a resolution to solving a name dispute between Athens and Skopje that has prevented Macedonia from joining NATO, the dpa reported.

"It is a very complicated issue and I do not see July 9 as a possible deadline," Nimetz said following talks in Athens with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni.

Greece and its northern neighbour have been is dispute over the latters name since 1991, when Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia.

Greece says the name dispute implies territorial claims on its own northern province, also called Macedonia, where Alexander the Great was born.

During the NATO summit in Bucharest in April, Macedonia was not invited to join NATO because of Greeces veto over the name dispute.

Albania and Croatia have been offered NATO membership and are scheduled to sign their NATO accession protocol on July 9.

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