Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 13 June 2018

Northern light: Macedonia makes name change deal with Greece

By ELENA BECATOROS prime ministers "in reach-
JASMINA MIRONSKI ing this historic agreement
Associated Press between their countries,
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — which contributes to the
Greece and Macedonia transformation of the en-
reached an historic agree- tire region of South-East Eu-
ment Tuesday to end a bit- rope."
ter 27-year name dispute They said they looked for-
that had kept the smaller ward to accession negotia-
and younger country out tions beginning with Skopje
of international institutions in June.
such as NATO, the two The United Nations envoy
countries' prime ministers who mediated the dispute
announced. for two decades congratu-
Greece's Alexis Tsipras and lated Tsipras and Zaev for
Macedonia's Zoran Zaev resolving their differences.
said the former Yugoslav Matthew Nimetz said in
republic's new name for a statement he had "no
both domestic and interna- doubt this agreement will
tional purposes would be lead to a period of en-
Republic of North Mace- hanced relations between
donia. Macedonia will also the two neighboring coun-
amend its constitution to In this photo released by Greek Prime Minister's office, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks tries and especially be-
reflect the change as part during a televised address to the nation, in Athens, Tuesday, June 12, 2018. tween their people."
of the deal. Associated Press U.N. Secretary-General An-
The nationality of the coun- tonio Guterres praised the
try's citizens will be listed compromise, threatening He added that Macedo- gotiations on joining the agreement as "a demon-
on official documents in to split Greece's governing nia "cannot and will not be EU. However, Tsipras said, stration of leadership to the
English as "Macedonian/ coalition and provoking a able in the future to claim this will be contingent on wider region and beyond"
citizen of the Republic of rift between Macedonia's any connection with the Macedonia completing and hopes it will inspire oth-
North Macedonia," Greek prime minister and presi- ancient Greek civilization the constitutional changes. ers involved in drawn-out
officials said. dent. of Macedonia." "In other words, if the consti- conflicts "to work towards
NATO and European Union And main opposition par- Speaking at a news con- tutional amendment is not negotiated settlements
officials welcomed the ties in both countries reject- ference in the Macedo- successfully completed, without further delay,"
breakthrough, which NATO ed the agreement. nian capital, Skopje, Zaev then the invitation to join spokesman Stephane Du-
Secretary General Jens Zaev said the deal would described the deal as a NATO will be automatically jarric said.
Stoltenberg said would be signed this weekend, "historic agreement of the rescinded and the acces- However, both prime minis-
help consolidate regional and a voter referendum century." sion talks with the European ters faced dissent at home.
peace and stability. would be held in the fall. "We have been solving a Union will not start," he said. Greek Defense Minister
Greece had long demand- In a televised address, Tsip- two-and-a-half decade The deal was welcomed by Panos Kammenos, whose
ed that its northern neigh- ras said the 140 countries dispute ... that has been EU officials. right-wing Independent
bor change or modify its which had recognized drowning the country," he European Council Presi- Greeks party is Tsipras' gov-
name to avoid any claim the Balkan state simply as said, adding that the deal dent Donald Tusk tweeted erning coalition partner,
to the territory and ancient Macedonia would now "will strengthen the Mace- his "sincere congratula- said he would oppose an
heritage of the region in recognize it as Republic of donian identity." tions" to Tsipras and Zaev. agreement in a parliamen-
northern Greece named North Macedonia. On the timeline of the deal, "I am keeping my fingers tary vote, meaning the
Macedonia — birthplace "This achieves a clear dis- Tsipras said that it would crossed. Thanks to you, the left-wing prime minister will
of ancient warrior king Al- tinction between Greek be first signed by the two impossible is becoming need to seek support from
exander the Great. Macedonia and our north- countries' foreign ministers possible," he said. political opponents.
The current prime ministers' ern neighbors and puts and then ratified by Mace- EU foreign affairs chief Fed- The main opposition party
attempts to end the dispute an end to the irredentism donia's parliament. erica Mogherini and com- in Macedonia, the conser-
have faced dissent in both which their current consti- Greece will then back in- missioner Johannes Hahn vative VMRO-DPMNE, ac-
countries, leading to large tutional name implies," he vitations for Macedonia issued a joint statement cused Zaev of "capitulat-
protests by opponents of a said. to join NATO and start ne- congratulating the two ing" to Greece.q