UN General Assembly
2010

to keep an open and clear path for Serbia to begin accession negotiations with the European Union. Another open issue in the Balkans revolves around the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. That is not a bilateral, pedantic dispute about historic symbols, as some may try to portray it, but a regional question with deep historical roots related to good-neighbourliness. A compromise on the name issue is needed. Greece has already done its part. A fair and lasting solution can be based only on a name with a geographic qualifier to be used for all purposes, erga omnes. Let me explain why. Macedonia is a large geographic region, most of which lies in Greece. A small part is in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and a smaller part in Bulgaria. The part cannot represent the whole, and the exclusive claims of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the name “Macedonia” cannot be allowed to fuel nationalism. Any solution must be universally implemented, because otherwise today’s situation will simply be perpetuated. We have