Greece, Macedonia still far apart on name dispute ahead of UN talks

I can see the Greek's point on this topic...I mean, was IS Macedonia if not for the ancient Hellenes immortalizing the name? and now these newcomers want to hijack the name "Macedonia"? Am I wrong in thinking anything of any historical importance regarding the term "Macedonia" has the Greeks or Hellenes (who are Greeks) had something to do with it? Also, don't the present day Fyroms or "Macedonians" as they wish to be called speak a slav dialect? Wasn't that an offshoot of Cyrillic, a language devise by a Greek Orthodox Monk for the slavic peoples to use? What are they hoping to gain by naming their nation Macedonia? I don't get it.

Macedonians had always Greek names, toponyms, ways, heroes, gods, dialect and spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.
Macedonians named after Greek names ALL the cities they built or renamed.

If any modern white people do what Macedonians did then they deserve to be called Macedonians.

Istor wrote:

Macedonians had always Greek names, toponyms, ways, heroes, gods, dialect and spread Greek Language and Civilization to the World.
Macedonians named after Greek names ALL the cities they built or renamed.

Right...we learned this in history class...

If any modern white people do what Macedonians did then they deserve to be called Macedonians.

OK...So are you saying the present citizens of the "Republic of Macedonia" did the same and deserve to be called Macedonians?
I don't get it...I know the Byzantine era pretty good, I know that the ancient Macedons spoke Greek (Alexander T G etc), but what are these former Yugoslavian folks trying to do? Are they trying to say they are some kind of obscure offspring of the Alexander era Macedonians????
If not, it seems pretty absurd to me, to want to hijack a Greek name. It would be like having the Mexicans rename their country "Washington"...and saying it was them all along who wrote the US constitution...am I right?

...the Skopians are reaching the end of the line...communism is dead....they have nothing left..its all a matter of time...they will fall hard...a lesson will be learned.

Steve dear, I am Macedonian, that is Greek !!

SlavoSkopians have not exclusive rights over the name of Macedonia. So, let Macedonian name be a geographic term equally shared by all peoples of Macedonia.

Istor wrote:

Steve dear, I am Macedonian, that is Greek !!
SlavoSkopians have not exclusive rights over the name of Macedonia. So, let Macedonian name be a geographic term equally shared by all peoples of Macedonia.

So you are saying its OK for the Skopians to call themselves Macedonians? What about Macadamias? If the Mexicans start to call themselves Washingtonians, will USA be OK with it?

ah steve..what they say ..it is the macedonians were not greeks.. but that THEY ARE MACEDONIANS..
moreover they claim greek territories under the scheme of macedonia being occupied..by greeks.

Macedonia as a geographic location is part of greece, bulgaria and FYROM..

Who gives them the right to claim that first macedonians were not greeks..and even if so.. to say that THEY ARE macedonians..and not slavs..tha they are

FYROM is a mosaic state of 5-6 different ethinicities..slavs 45% albos 30-35%, turks 5-10%, greeks or as they call them vlachs and gypsies 10%.

U see what is going on with kossovo, here is balkans where people dont have the western mentality but stil have ideas..for BIG ALBANIA, BIg "macedonia" etc..

what we mind is first claims over greek territory, the fact that they DO NOT ALLOW albos to have an independent state next to kossovo..in some villages albo pop is more than 80%...THEY try to create an identity, based on propaganda..they try to construct a "nation".

+ to all theseu hae us and russian competition over oil..there is one russian pipe from russia to bulgaria and then to greece..whereas us try to construct another one to go from kazakstan va fyrom..chevron is try to do that.. itis so many issues difficult to be analysed here.

what dont they accept slavomacedonia or "new macedonia".. in canada u have nova scotia..in usa NEW york..not york...

ask them ...why even if consirering macedonians were not greeks..what MAKES THEM MACEDONIANS and not slavs..and se what answer u will get.. IF U GET ONE..regards

Steve Smith wrote:

<quoted text>So you are saying its OK for the Skopians to call themselves Macedonians?...

No!

One and a half decades later and no end to the name game between Macedonia and Greece. With more than 120 countries recognizing Macedonia with the name “Macedonia” it would appear that the Macedonians are winning. But what are they winning? The name which they already own?

The real winners of this game are the Greeks. Greece concocted the name game to stall the Republic of Macedonia from gaining its rightful place in the world and from joining international organizations and so far has succeeded but to what end?

In the end Macedonia may win the name game but on its way there it has lost many opportunities like entering NATO a decade ago, joining the EU five years ago, bringing stability to the region and attracting foreign investment years ago; assets which the country desperately needs to get out of its economic and security rut.

November 1, 2007 the “big day” for “final decisions” has come and gone with no decision on the name game. It appears no side is willing to budge; so what’s next?

I can understand why Macedonia wants to be called Macedonia and why Macedonia is caught in this position of having to “negotiate” for something “non-negotiable” but what I can’t understand is why Greece is so bent on forcing Macedonia to change its name?

All reasons to date given by Greece for this fixation don’t amount to a hill of beans so what is the real reason for this insistence? Greece has its own name “Greece” or “Hellas”, a name which it chose for itself which identifies it with its past. Macedonia has no other name to historically identify with so I can understand why it is fighting to keep it.

When Greece wrote its national myth about itself it left no room for the Macedonians, even though hundreds of thousands of its citizens felt Macedonian.

Mistakes were made on both sides. Macedonians made the mistake of agreeing to negotiate over something “non-negotiable” but I can understand why. This agreement was made under duress when Greece imposed an economically crippling embargo on Macedonia demanding that Macedonia agree to this; “or else”! If given a choice of starving and freezing to death over “negotiating your name” which would you choose?

Greece on the other hand, picked this fight because it was sure it would win but surprise, surprise the world did not give in to Greek temper tantrums.

Greece may want to continue to play this game, may even want to up the stakes by getting involved in Macedonian affairs through outsiders or even through its neighbours, but Greece by now should have realized that when you pick a fight chances are you are likely to receive a few punches back or you may even lose the fight altogether. Also, one who picks a fight is less likely to receive sympathy from those watching.

Macedonia will join NATO as Macedonia because of its current contribution to NATO and because Macedonia has proven to be a loyal and reliable ally, an asset to NATO, something that Greece once was. So how long will Greece play the “name” card and what is Greece prepared to lose over it? Only Greece knows!

Florina was always Lerin wrote:

.......... But what are they winning? The name which they already own?.........

hahahahahahahaha !!

What is Macedonian in FYROM bre idiots? Language, names, toponyms, ways, pride for that campaign .... WHAT ??

u are a bunch of clowns.

kostas wrote:

u are a bunch of clowns.

You don't Really like this ''MKcircus'' do you, tossie...
(:-)))!!!

mo i dont..is of bad taste and quality..u cant even be proper clowns..

but I TOTALLY AGREE...this is an "MK CIRCUS" that slavs created.

kostas wrote:

but I TOTALLY AGREE...this is an "MK CIRCUS" that slavs created.

Agree with whom, tossie...
Yourself...?...
(:-)))!!!

with u..jurk..look 4 posts up in what u wrote.. when u sit in front of the comp..dont play with ur... pay a bit more attention to what is written here.

kostas wrote:

with u..jurk..look 4 posts up in what u wrote.. when u sit in front of the comp..dont play with ur... pay a bit more attention to what is written here.

Well, tossie...
That's what quoting's for...
Do you follow...?...
(:-)))!!!

You don't follow, do you, tossie...?...
''What quoting'', right...?...
This:''Irony''...
(:-)))!!!

Do you follow now, tossie...
MKPerplexed...?...
(:-)))!!!

i guess u cant follow..