| BorisVM |
The United States recognizes Macedonia as Macedonia and respects its decision on the name, US Deputy Secretary of State on Europe and Eurasia Daniel Fried says in an interview with the Voice of America - Macedonian language program.
"We are not using (the reference) Macedonia anymore. We have made a decision and respect it. However, we are supporting the negotiation path of Nimetz via the UN and believe that Macedonia and Greece should work with Nimetz and come to a solution. We shall support any solution," Fried says.
Commenting how Greek media quoted his statement that Macedonia should reach an agreement on the name with Greece if it wished to join NATO and the European Union, Fried says media have omitted a finesse of crucial significance. "I have said that Macedonia should work with Greece if it wishes to join EU and NATO under name other than Macedonia," Fried says.
Greece has not tried to block the country's road to Europe, he says, pointing out that Macedonia should work with Nimetz and Greece if it wishes to join European and Euro-Atlantic institutions under the name Macedonia. "US believes that Greece wishes to be a good neighbor to Macedonia. Greeks say there are no other open issues with Macedonia but the name. I hope it is the case as we certainly support good Greek-Macedonian relations," Fried says.
Referring to the demarcation of Macedonian-Serbia/Montenegro border on Kosovo part, Fried says it should be part of the process for defining the province's final status.
The US doesn't support any ideas for changing of borders no matter where they come from - Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia or some other country. "There is zero tolerance of irredentism or returning to the period of Balkan wars," Fried says.
|