FYROM says agreement with Greece on name issue not finalized yet

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has said that the text of an agreement with Greece on the decades-old name dispute has not been finalized yet, with the Foreign Ministry of the neighboring country noting that the quality of the solution is more important than the time it might take to achieve it. 

In a statement issued Thursday, the ministry said that “issues of such importance do not benefit from any hasty activities.”

“The quality of the text of the agreement and the need to reach a lasting and sustainable solution acceptable to both sides by far outweigh the necessity of meeting any deadlines for the finalization of the process,” it said.

Zaev 'optimistic'

Meanwhile, FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was quoted as saying Thursday that he remained “optimistic, although it is not easy, it is a very sensitive issue, but also very important.”

He said it was “very important to find a sustainable and permanent solution that would be 100 percent safe for the future generations.”

Zaev reportedly said that he would like a phone conversation with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras to take place on Friday, however adding that there was still enough time until the European Council June28-29.

“Maybe we are going to call Athens and it might happen very soon. I would not comment anything else since everything was said in the foreign ministry statement,” he was quoted as saying.

Below is the full statement by FYROM's foreign ministry:

“At this exceptionally delicate moment in the process of overcoming the name difference between the Republic of Macedonia and Greece, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers it necessary that the domestic and international public are informed of the following:

Good will has been demonstrated and significant results have been achieved in the course of the talks. At this juncture, as in any process of this character, it is necessary that the working groups transpose said good will into a text of an agreement, which will most appropriately reflect the substantive parameters, featuring the political understanding reached between the two sides. With that goal in mind, the Republic of Macedonia works hard in order that this is achieved as promptly as possible and prior to the meeting of the European Council. In this context, the Republic of Macedonia underscores that issues of such importance do not benefit from any hasty activities. The quality of the text of the agreement and the need to reach a lasting and sustainable solution acceptable to both sides by far outweigh the necessity of meeting any deadlines for the finalization of the process.”