Hellenic Foreign Ministry announcement on articles concerning Greece’s stance on the name of FYROM

Hellenic MFA, Monday, 29 September 2014: 

“Because certain extreme circles are playing ignorant or surprised, as if they had just learned now – from the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister’s speech to the 69th UN General Assembly – of the country’s stance on the FYROM name issue, it is useful to make the following reminder:

Greece’s position in favor of a compound name, with a geographical qualifier before the word “Macedonia”, and not before the word “Republic”, to be used in relation to everyone (erga omnes), for all uses, domestic and international, has been thus formulated for many years now and has been stated repeatedly in the Hellenic Parliament as well as internationally, in multilateral and bilateral meetings. It is based on this position that the Greek representative participates in the UN process under Mr. Nimetz

We assume that it is obvious to everyone that the provisional name (Τhe former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), under which our neighbouring country joined the UN in 1993, and with which it participates in a large number of international organizations, actions and meetings, is a compound name with qualifying modifiers before the word “Republic” and not before the word “Macedonia”. This compound provisional name is not used in relation to everyone (erga omnes), but in the international organizations and in the meetings and actions that they organize bilaterally with a large number of countries, but unfortunately not domestically, not in passports, and not bilaterally with those countries that have recognized FYROM under its so-called constitutional name.

This is a state of affairs that violates international law and must change. The responsible and clear Greek stance is the only one that leads to the changing of this state of affairs.”

mfa.gr

29/9/14