Macedonian and Greek negotiators
Gandeto
June 23, 2009
A case unprecedented in history threatens to destabilize the Balkans where one country, Greece, stubbornly insists upon another country, Republic of Macedonia, to change its name. The negotiations—which should have not taken place at all—have entered its second decade of existence with no solution in sight. Greece maintains that the name "Macedonia" belongs to them—a highly dubious claim to say the least—and the Republic of Macedonia tenaciously holds to the only name the country and its people have ever known. Moreover, the Macedonian government is being pressured—especially from European officials—to negotiate a quick solution to the name issue and reach a compromise with the Athenian government.
The stakes to enter NATO and integrate into the European Union loom heavily over the Macedonian´s decision. On one hand, the Macedonian citizens overwhelmingly wish to integrate themselves within Europe, and on the other, they fear for their own existence; a compromise with the name can mean a sure sign of capitulation with calamitous consequences for them as people.
I cannot help but wonder if this was a decision on Philip´s plate, the king of Macedon, Greeks would have been called to safeguard their liberty at Chaeronea once again. Here, the positions are diametrically opposite; Macedonia has no army to tell the Greeks "if you want the name, come and get it," and thus, this newly established republic, whose land in 1912-13 has been divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia, is forced to defend its rightful existence among European nations.
The Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis in the interview recently given to Apogevmatini Daily, reiterated Athens "well-known position" as he put it, "a mutually acceptable solution: a compound name that is valid for everyone."
We have become accustomed to hearing Greek government officials saying that they are for a "mutually acceptable solution" about the disputed name of the Republic of Macedonia. We have also read their statements given to reporters about their willingness to foster "good neighborly relations" with the government of "Skopia", and surely, by now, we´re all familiar with their proposed formula of a "win-win situation without winners or losers".
"It would be a win-win situation without winners and losers," Valinakis said, emphasizing that Greece´s position has always been one of goodwill towards its neighbor and to negotiate in good faith.
This is great stuff, you would exclaim; we´ll be dividing something and there won´t be any losers; that´s great. We´ll negotiate about something and there will be a win-win situation. This is also great. Next, what ever we´ll be doing at this table, it will be mutually acceptable—another great thing—can´t go wrong with that. And finally, you would admit, that this people are for fostering good neighborly relations—have stressed this intent of theirs hundreds of times before. Then, why don´t we jump at the opportunity and get all these great things for ourselves? What have we got to lose?
All these well-polished, catchy phrases have one destination—to present Greece as a well-meaning and fairly rational negotiator. But what lurks underneath their strategy, what is being cooked in their well-known Ministry of Public Security – National Public Security Service´s files and is laced with lethal toxicity is a dark sinister plan with catastrophic consequences for the Macedonian side. The negotiation is not about the name; the name is just the tip of the iceberg—their aim is, and has always been since 1912, to eradicate the ethnic Macedonians living in Greece. Furthermore, by depriving the Republic of Macedonia to right to use the name "Macedonia", Greeks feel that they will eliminate the problem with their own ethnic Macedonian minorities. If there is no country called "Macedonia", by default, there won´t be any Macedonians.
Greece´s desire to wipe-out any trace of the Macedonians has been going on for a long protracted time; her crimes against Macedonians cannot be described in a single page, single chapter or a single book. Her attitude towards the Macedonians, her political and civil behavior and her inhumane conduct towards the Macedonians is, by any modern definition, racism and has reached the pinnacle of hate that one country can have, harbor and direct against another people.
To reach their envisioned gruesome political ends, these Greeks will resort not just to lies and distortions of the truth, but will go to such lengths as to fabricate proofs, manipulate facts and destroy evidence.
Their archeologists maintain an "incestual relationship with the government," according to a Greek who will remain nameless. Their clergy is intricately involved with carrying out their forceful policy of Hellenisation and their newly formed so-called Cultural Associations like "Aristotelis", are nothing else but spy-nests to monitor the ethnic Macedonians´ activities. These surely, are not signs of a matured democratic country.
So, when these Greeks talk about good neighborly relationship, we should remind them about the Macedonian plane not being allowed into Greek airspace, simply because it carried the name "Macedonia" on it.
We should remind them about the athletes who upon entry into Greece are forced to remove the emblems from their uniforms with the name "Macedonia", or the motorists whose vehicles are being damaged because they display the code "MKD". We should remind them about the TV reporters whose equipment was confiscated and their films ceased, simply because they were filming Macedonian celebrations in the Macedonian villages. Good neighborly relationships are not maintained when Neo-Nazis Chrysi Avyi is allowed, in front of the Greek police, to brutalize and disrupt the promotion of a dictionary by ethnic Macedonians in Athens.
And finally, good neighborly relationships are not being carried out when Greece solicits help from any and all sources available to undermine, degrade and present the Republic of Macedonia as an aggressor bent on "usurping Greek heritage" and having territorial designs on Greek territory. Good neighborly relations are not being cultivated when citizens from Canada, USA, Australia and from many European countries are being discriminated and denied entry into Greece simply because they have declared their Macedonian ethnicity.
Your words Mr. Valinakis sound very hollow and empty indeed. You should put your words into deeds if you want to be taken seriously.
The stakes to enter NATO and integrate into the European Union loom heavily over the Macedonian´s decision. On one hand, the Macedonian citizens overwhelmingly wish to integrate themselves within Europe, and on the other, they fear for their own existence; a compromise with the name can mean a sure sign of capitulation with calamitous consequences for them as people.
I cannot help but wonder if this was a decision on Philip´s plate, the king of Macedon, Greeks would have been called to safeguard their liberty at Chaeronea once again. Here, the positions are diametrically opposite; Macedonia has no army to tell the Greeks "if you want the name, come and get it," and thus, this newly established republic, whose land in 1912-13 has been divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia, is forced to defend its rightful existence among European nations.
The Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis in the interview recently given to Apogevmatini Daily, reiterated Athens "well-known position" as he put it, "a mutually acceptable solution: a compound name that is valid for everyone."
We have become accustomed to hearing Greek government officials saying that they are for a "mutually acceptable solution" about the disputed name of the Republic of Macedonia. We have also read their statements given to reporters about their willingness to foster "good neighborly relations" with the government of "Skopia", and surely, by now, we´re all familiar with their proposed formula of a "win-win situation without winners or losers".
"It would be a win-win situation without winners and losers," Valinakis said, emphasizing that Greece´s position has always been one of goodwill towards its neighbor and to negotiate in good faith.
This is great stuff, you would exclaim; we´ll be dividing something and there won´t be any losers; that´s great. We´ll negotiate about something and there will be a win-win situation. This is also great. Next, what ever we´ll be doing at this table, it will be mutually acceptable—another great thing—can´t go wrong with that. And finally, you would admit, that this people are for fostering good neighborly relations—have stressed this intent of theirs hundreds of times before. Then, why don´t we jump at the opportunity and get all these great things for ourselves? What have we got to lose?
All these well-polished, catchy phrases have one destination—to present Greece as a well-meaning and fairly rational negotiator. But what lurks underneath their strategy, what is being cooked in their well-known Ministry of Public Security – National Public Security Service´s files and is laced with lethal toxicity is a dark sinister plan with catastrophic consequences for the Macedonian side. The negotiation is not about the name; the name is just the tip of the iceberg—their aim is, and has always been since 1912, to eradicate the ethnic Macedonians living in Greece. Furthermore, by depriving the Republic of Macedonia to right to use the name "Macedonia", Greeks feel that they will eliminate the problem with their own ethnic Macedonian minorities. If there is no country called "Macedonia", by default, there won´t be any Macedonians.
Greece´s desire to wipe-out any trace of the Macedonians has been going on for a long protracted time; her crimes against Macedonians cannot be described in a single page, single chapter or a single book. Her attitude towards the Macedonians, her political and civil behavior and her inhumane conduct towards the Macedonians is, by any modern definition, racism and has reached the pinnacle of hate that one country can have, harbor and direct against another people.
To reach their envisioned gruesome political ends, these Greeks will resort not just to lies and distortions of the truth, but will go to such lengths as to fabricate proofs, manipulate facts and destroy evidence.
Their archeologists maintain an "incestual relationship with the government," according to a Greek who will remain nameless. Their clergy is intricately involved with carrying out their forceful policy of Hellenisation and their newly formed so-called Cultural Associations like "Aristotelis", are nothing else but spy-nests to monitor the ethnic Macedonians´ activities. These surely, are not signs of a matured democratic country.
So, when these Greeks talk about good neighborly relationship, we should remind them about the Macedonian plane not being allowed into Greek airspace, simply because it carried the name "Macedonia" on it.
We should remind them about the athletes who upon entry into Greece are forced to remove the emblems from their uniforms with the name "Macedonia", or the motorists whose vehicles are being damaged because they display the code "MKD". We should remind them about the TV reporters whose equipment was confiscated and their films ceased, simply because they were filming Macedonian celebrations in the Macedonian villages. Good neighborly relationships are not maintained when Neo-Nazis Chrysi Avyi is allowed, in front of the Greek police, to brutalize and disrupt the promotion of a dictionary by ethnic Macedonians in Athens.
And finally, good neighborly relationships are not being carried out when Greece solicits help from any and all sources available to undermine, degrade and present the Republic of Macedonia as an aggressor bent on "usurping Greek heritage" and having territorial designs on Greek territory. Good neighborly relations are not being cultivated when citizens from Canada, USA, Australia and from many European countries are being discriminated and denied entry into Greece simply because they have declared their Macedonian ethnicity.
Your words Mr. Valinakis sound very hollow and empty indeed. You should put your words into deeds if you want to be taken seriously.
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