UN special mediator on the FYROM name issue Matthew Nimetz held deliberations Saturday on the name issue and also on the issue that arose following the FYROM government's recent decision to rename its "Petrovec" airport in Skopje to "Alexander the Great Airport", and conveyed the Greek government's positions, during a meeting in Skopje with FYROM president Branko Crvenkovski, prime minister Nikola Gruevski, foreign minister Antonio Milososki, and FYROM's representative at the UN-brokered talks in New York, Nikola Dimitrov.

His visit to Skopje followed a visit to Athens on Friday and talks with foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis and main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou.

After the meeting, Nimetz told reporters that he had conveyed to the FYROM leadership Bakoyannis' and Papandreou's positions on the name issue, and was briefed in turn on the FYROM leadership's positions.

He noted that during his talks in Athens on Friday and in Skopje on Saturday, he did not submit, nor did he receive, any new proposal on the outstanding name issue, adding that the negotiations on this matter were ongoing.

On the renaming of the airport, Nimetz said he conveyed to the FYROM leadership the reactions and views of the Greek side, and heard the positions of the FYROM leadership.

"The views of this side (Skopje) are quite different from the views of the other side (Athens). I was told that the airport was renamed for commercial reasons. Apparently, it is a matter between neighbours which must be approached with great sensitivity, and I hope that ways will be found for this to happen," Nimetz added.

Source: Athens News Agency

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