[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 50 (Tuesday, April 1, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1872-H1873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 NAME DISPUTE BETWEEN GREECE AND FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the 
name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia (FYROM). We call it FYROM for short. FYROM is located just 
north of present day Greece, and its capital is Skopje. It is one of 
the countries formed from the breakup of the former Yugoslav Republic, 
Yugoslavia.
  FYROM is an interim name. The U.N. oversees a framework where Greece 
and FYROM have agreed to negotiate a mutually agreeable permanent name 
for this new nation. As the founder and cofounder of the Congressional 
Caucus on Hellenic Issues, this is an issue of tremendous importance to 
Greece and the Caucus.
  All historical and archaeological evidence demonstrates that the 
ancient Macedonians were Greek. Macedonia is a Greek name that was 
designated in the northern area of Greece for 2,500 years.
  In 1944, the name of Skopje region was changed to Macedonia as part 
of Tito's imperialistic campaign to gain control of the Greek province 
of Macedonia. The United States opposed Tito's use of the name 
Macedonia at that time, but in November 2004, unilaterally and without 
warning, this present administration decided to recognize the former 
Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia as Macedonia, using the Greek name. It 
was a shock and a disappointment to the Greek American community, and 
myself and many others, that the White House went against prior U.S. 
policy to recognize FYROM as Macedonia just 2 days after the 2004 
presidential election, and before talks were completed among the 
nations most directly affected by the outcome.
  Along with former Representative Bilirakis and 68 of our colleagues, 
we sent a letter to the former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, 
expressing our concerns about this decision. We also organized meetings 
with the American Ambassador and other officials in the State 
Department. We believe that the name ``Macedonia'' properly belongs to 
Greek culture and, therefore, should not be used by any other country. 
Greek Macedonia is one of the oldest civilizations known to man, and 
the history of this name should be recognized and respected.
  Along with my colleagues, Bilirakis, Sarbanes and Space, we have 
introduced legislation, H.R. 356, which expresses the sense of the 
House of Representatives that the FYROM should stop the utilization of 
materials that violate provisions of the U.N.-brokered interim 
agreement between FYROM and Greece regarding hostile activities or 
propaganda, and should work with the U.N. and Greece to achieve long-
standing U.S. and U.N. policy goals of finding a mutually acceptable 
name. Our bipartisan resolution now has over 114 cosponsors.
  I just want to say that, in a major good will gesture, Greece has 
already agreed with the word Macedonia in the name. And they say it 
would be acceptable as long as it is combined with some type of 
qualifier to make clear that there are no designs on the historical 
boundaries of the provinces of Macedonia. But Skopje keeps doing sort 
of antagonistic things. This week, they erected a billboard in Skopje 
that depicts the Greek flag, but in the area where the cross is, they 
have put in a swastika. I would like to say to my colleagues, if 
someone erected billboards with the American flag and put a swastika 
where our stars are, we would be somewhat upset.
  Also, in their textbooks, and I have examples here, they print maps 
that show that Skopje includes territories of Greece. They have also 
printed on their currency the symbol of Greece; the white tower was on 
their currency. We have since had them remove it. But I would say to my 
colleagues, if at the height of the power of the USSR, if they started 
printing maps that showed their boundaries, including Alaska, and 
decided to take our Statue of Liberty and put it on their flag, I think 
we would be a little upset that our symbols and our territory had been 
used in such a way.
  I bring this to my colleagues today because just this week the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will hold a Heads of State and 
Government summit in Bucharest, Romania. One of the major issues 
considered will be the expansion of NATO and the possible extension of 
membership invitations to Albania, Croatia and to the FYROM. In this 
context, I will submit for the record the March 27th article in the 
Huffington Post entitled, ``NATO Enlargement--the View from Athens,''

[[Page H1873]]

written by Greece's Ambassador to the U.N., Alexandros Mallias.

                 NATO Enlargement--The View From Athens

       An important NATO summit will take place next week in 
     Bucharest, Romania. Our discussion will focus on two main 
     issues: the first, NATO enlargement and developments in the 
     Western Balkans; the second, an evaluation of the Alliance's 
     operations in Afghanistan (ISAF) and Kosovo (KFOR). In both 
     of these U.N. mandated operations, there is an important 
     Greek contribution of 2,000 men.
       Greece, for over 15 years now, has held the position that 
     the future of Southeastern Europe lies in its integration 
     into the Euroatlantic Institutions. On the basis of this 
     strategic choice, we support NATO's ``open door'' policy. An 
     open door policy, however, must be based on the principles of 
     good neighborly relations and allied solidarity.
       Greece supports the enlargement of NATO in the Western 
     Balkans, with the invitations to Croatia and Albania. It is 
     ready also to welcome the Former Yugoslav Republic of 
     Macedonia (FYROM), provided that our northern neighbor shifts 
     from their nationalistic logic and agree to a mutually 
     agreeable name for international use that differentiates the 
     new Balkan state from the Greek province of Macedonia; a name 
     that will not be a vehicle for propaganda and irredentism 
     against a neighboring NATO member.
       Athens has shown its good will towards Skopje in many ways. 
     It has supported its neighbor, both politically and 
     economically, ranking as the number one foreign investor in 
     that country, with $1 billion invested capital that has 
     generated 30,000 new jobs. Most recently, we went the extra 
     mile, or rather the most important mile, when we expressed 
     our readiness to agree to a composite name with a geographic 
     qualifier. This is a major shift from Greece's initial 
     position, which excluded any use of the term ``Macedonia'', 
     in the name of our neighbor.
       Some have questioned our stance on the name issue and the 
     possibility of a Greek veto at the NATO summit, if the name 
     issue is not resolved by then. Some are suggesting that we 
     are re-fighting old battles, not seeing the ``big picture'', 
     that we are drawn into the past.
       My answer to these claims is that the name issue is not a 
     bilateral one. It is an international issue, which concerns 
     our broader region. Directly, or indirectly, it concerns NATO 
     and the U.N. And, if not resolved now, it may fester to 
     poison future generations, undermining stability and 
     cooperation in the 21st century.
       We hope that with active U.N. mediation and U.S. 
     involvement, a resolution of this issue will be achieved 
     before the Bucharest summit.
       On this issue, we are not alone. 115 members of the U.S. 
     Congress, from both parties, support House Resolution 356, 
     expressing the ``sense of the House of Representatives that 
     FYROM should stop hostile activities and propaganda against 
     Greece, and should work with the United Nations and Greece to 
     find a mutually acceptable official name''.
       A similar resolution, S.R. 300, was introduced in the 
     Senate by Senators Menendez, Obama, Snowe.
       The immediate settlement of the name issue before the NATO 
     Summit in a mutually agreeable way, will allow Greece, the 
     U.S.'s strongest ally in the Balkans, to support FYROM's 
     membership to NATO and ultimately to the European Union, a 
     strategic goal also shared by the U.S.
       A prerequisite for a proper relationship as allies and 
     partners is that of good neighborliness. We have lived 
     together through good and bad times, we have shared tragedy, 
     but also share hope for a bright future. Let's leave behind 
     the former and invest in the latter.
       Greece has called upon FYROM's leadership to act 
     responsibly and show political courage and meet Greece half 
     way. It will be a responsible move on the part of an aspiring 
     candidate, a move that will win them a European future, a 
     future of stability, peace and economic prosperity, based on 
     the principles upon which NATO and the European Union are 
     founded.
       Alexandros P. Mallias is Ambassador of Greece to the United 
     States.

  Greece has consistently stated its desire to have the FYROM admitted 
into NATO provided that they cease the use of the name ``Republic of 
Macedonia'' and adopt a mutually acceptable name for both parties. 
Along with the 114 cosponsors, we urge them to take this into 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  (Mr. BURTON of Indiana addressed the House. His remarks will appear 
hereafter in the Extensions of Remarks.)

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