ATHENS, Greece, June 23 (UPI) -- A U.N. mediator orchestrated a new round of talks in the name dispute between Greece and Macedonia, a former Yugoslav republic, officials said Tuesday.
Mathew Nimetz, a special United Nations envoy, held a new round of talks with ambassadors of Greece and Macedonia in Geneva Monday and announced he will visit Skopje July 6-7 and Athens July 7-9 for talks with leaders of the two neighboring countries, the Greek daily Kathimerini reported.
Nimetz held his last meeting with Greek and Macedonian envoys on the 18-year-long name dispute in New York in February.
In the meantime, Greece blocked Macedonia's admission to NATO in April.
Greece objected to the Skopje government using the name of Macedonia when it seceded from the former six-republic Yugoslav federation in 1991.
Athens argues the name of Macedonia could bear territorial claims involving the northern Greek province of the same name. Greece sticks to calling Macedonia the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM, the name under which it was admitted to the United Nations.
Despite efforts by international mediators, the two countries have been unable to reach a compromise on the name dispute.
