Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-03

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Athens dismisses latest FYROM quip

[01] Athens dismisses latest FYROM quip

Foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos termed comments by FYROM FM Antonio Milososki as a completely "baseless, unqualified and unsubstantiated attempt to create impressions" by the FYROM side.

Moreover, the spokesman reiterated that Greece's negotiating position, "and the way we understand and deal with negotiations, has been unwavering from the first moment; everything was clear, open. In fact, the consistency of Greece's positions was absolutely confirmed at the NATO summit in Bucharest. The validity of our positions is undisputed and our positions remain steadfast to the letter."

Milososki was quoted by local media in Skopje this week as saying "it would be good if we close all the possible issues that could cause misunderstanding in the future", after first accusing the Greek side of "piling on" more issues in negotiations, which acquired a distinct urgency for the FYROM side after Greek leadership more-or-less made clear its position of "no solution, no invitation" to NATO or the EU.

Asked during a regular press briefing at the foreign ministry about the most recent comments by Skopje government officials regarding a "Macedonian minority" in northern Greece and even discussion of such an issue in ongoing negotiations, Koumoutsakos said:

"For Greece there is one specific and defined objective in this negotiation process, in fact, this is the mandate under which the UN Secretary General's envoy, Matthew Nimetz, exercises his duties and mission. The obstructive delay tactics followed by the leadership of Skopje are revealed more and more every day.

"This is confirmed by a series of unacceptable, in terms of manner and content, statements, as well as by this unfortunate attempt to generate non-existent and baseless issues. Greece will not be influenced and will not participate in any attempt to divert negotiations from their objective, which is none other than a mutually acceptable solution to the 'name issue'. Greece will continue to work constructively for a solution," he concluded.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Greek foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos.

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