We are hearing of too many inconclusive talks regarding the name of Greece's neighbor and the new nation's future with NATO, EU etc.
Being a Greek myself, I can't really be considered objective (although it seems nobody is, really). But I am entitled to my opinion. And I fear that Greek foreign policy fails to expose FYROM's old, longterm internal and foreign policies which are not only about ancient history, language and a nation's name but about senarios of national borders extending on another country's territory as well.
The whole issue is that of a new country being a bad, hostile neighbor to Greece, regardless of the "interim treaty" and Greece's efforts and investment in helping FYROM stand on their own feet.
Back in 1948, when Tito first gave the name "Macedonia" to this part of Yugoslavia, Greece was among the winners of WW2, but circumstances were such that they were not allowed to protest properly about it and stop it from happening. 60 years later, I would expect our ally nations (which were the same then, as they are now) to remember why they humored Tito and why those circumstances do not apply now with FYROM; or do they?
To those wondering "why Greece fears FYROM?" I answer "what is the great necessity for a new-born country to keep frustrating its immediate and maybe most important neighbor, unless there is ill-will for the not so near, not easily predictable future?". If there was a good reason to not protest back in 1948, and there is no good reason to protest now, when will there ever be a good reason? Should Greece wait until they claim Thessaloníki as their capital?
In my mind, the real argument for Greece is not the name itself. FYROM, behaving like it has been, is not exactly Greece's ally, nor a friendly neigbour, nor an honest interlocutor. And it is making no real effort to be neither. So, no! As long as FYROM is hostile to Greece (not only since the 1990s, but, practically, since the late 1940s) and doesn't care about Greeks' feelings and legitimate requests, Greece can not consider them it an ally nation and cannot allow its entrance to NATO, nor EU, nor any international organization Greece has a say in.
Showing posts with label Balkans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Balkans. Show all posts
Friday, April 18, 2008
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