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Southeast Europe
March 30, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 15
was unreasonably delaying the ending of visa requirements for Turks traveling to Europe.
Prior to the meeting, Erdogan told reporters that Turkey still regards full EU membership as a strategic goal. But, in terms of the agenda in the shorter term, Erdogan and his officials have lately been lobbying Brussels to update the customs union under which Turkey trades with the EU, its biggest export market. “I hope we have put this difficult period [in relations] behind us,” Erdogan said at the news conference, adding: “Rather than unfair criticism, we expect robust support ...
It would be a perilous mistake for the EU to exclude Turkey from enlargement.”
“No one expected a breakthrough now, but neither side wants a break-up,” Zeynep Alemdar, chairwoman of the international relations department at Okan university in Istanbul, told the Financial Times. “At a time when most of
the bridges with Europe are burning, the best outcome for Turkey was bringing the customs union and visa liberalisation back onto the agenda. It appears there is still a way to go.”
Macedonia, Greece committed to solving name dispute but differences remain
Valentina Dimitrievska in Skopje
Macedonia and Greece are committed to finding a solution to the name dispute, but differences between the two sides remained obvious after a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias, on March 23 in Skopje.
Macedonia is involved in a long-standing dispute with its southern neighbour; Greece objects to the use of the term Macedonia, as it has a province with the same name in the north. While the two sides have been working towards a resolution of the dispute, opponents to a possible agreement within Macedonia fear that the solution might affect the country’s national identity.
Finding a solution to the name dispute is of great importance as it is a precondition for Macedonia to join the Nato and EU after years of its progress being stalled by Greece.
Dimitrov and Kotzias presented their opinions after exchanging draft agreements with proposals for a possible solution — as part of the process,
the Macedonian government has agreed to change the name of the country.
Kotzias, who is paying a two-day official visit to Skopje, arrived on March 22 for the first time by plane, landing at Skopje airport only after the Macedonian authorities renamed the airport formerly named after Alexander the Great as International Airport Skopje. They also removed the statue of Alexander the Great from the airport.
This was a goodwill gesture from the Macedonian side, as Greece also objects to Macedonia laying claim to Alexander the Great, who is regarded
as key historical figure in Hellenistic culture by Greece.
Despite the positive approaches and the desire expressed by the two ministers to overcome the dispute, their statements showed that differences between the two sides still exist.
Kotzias confirmed that the Greek side still wants the Macedonian constitution to be changed