UN envoy Nimetz says talks focus only on Macedonia's name dispute

25/07/2008

ATHENS, Greece -- UN mediator Matthew Nimetz said on Thursday (July 24th) that talks he is mediating between Greece and Macedonia focus only on the name dispute between the two countries and do not cover the Macedonian minority issue in Greece. His statement came in response to a demand by Skopje last week for recognition of that minority. In an interview with Greek state broadcaster NET, Nimetz urged the Macedonian government to defuse tensions in relations with Athens.

In other news Thursday, police in Skopje said Greek assailants armed with knives attacked a Macedonian truck driver near the northern town of Thessaloniki, forcing him from his vehicle before gouging out its Macedonian markings. Greece's parliament refused to condemn the incident. (ANA-MPA, NET, Express, Naftemporiki, Kathimerini, Makfax, A1, Dnevnik - 24/07/08)