Kotzias to brief party leaders on ‘Macedonia’ name talks

Following the progress achieved in United Nations-mediated talks last week in Vienna on the “Macedonia” name issue, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his counterpart from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Dimitrov, are to take stock before further negotiations after Greek Easter.

Although positive signals emerged from the talks in Austria, differences remain. Athens wants the name solution to be “erga omnes,” meaning that it would be for general use, at home and abroad. It also wants changes to parts of FYROM’s constitution deemed irredentist.

Kotzias is to brief party leaders this week on his talks in Vienna in a bid to secure opposition support amid continuing objections by the junior coalition partner Independent Greeks (ANEL) to the use of the term “Macedonia” in a name solution.

The main conservative opposition New Democracy has called on Kotzias to brief ANEL leader Panos Kammenos first.