Turkey: Greece shouldn’t impose name on FYROM

Turkey’s prime minister says it’s wrong for Greece to dictate what the official name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) should be, but adds that he hopes the two neighboring countries can resolve their dispute “amicably.”

Speaking at a joint conference with visiting FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Monday, Binali Yildirim said: “it is wrong for another country to determine the name of a country.”

FYROM and Greece have been at odds for a quarter-century over the name “Macedonia,” but have pledged to resolve the dispute by the summer. Greece says the country’s name implies claims on its own province of Macedonia and wants it changed.

The squabble has prevented FYROM from joining NATO.

Zaev said the best solution was one that would pave the way for FYROM’s NATO and European Union membership. [AP]