Gridlock Persists in Macedonian Name Game
Edward P. Joseph, Johns Hopkins University | June 3, 2008
Compromise has yet to be reached on the issue of Macedonia's official name and national identity, as Greece recently blocked the country from joining NATO, out of fears that a recognized Macedonian nation state would mobilize separatist sentiment among Greece's Macedonian minority. ++ A weakened Macedonian position would in turn activate Albanian and Bulgarian minority claims and destabilize that country. ++ As the EU is unwilling and unable to mediate, the US should take the initiative through NATO to reassess Greek regional stakes.
