THE NATIONAL COORDINATED EFFORT OF HELLENES (CEH)
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 31, 2008 - “Thanks to U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the U.S. Administration, in a letter this morning, removed a major obstacle to reaching a solution to the FYROM name issue,” said leaders of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH). “The obstacle was the Administration downplaying the extraordinary problem of FYROM’s efforts to justify the inclusion in their country of territory in northern Greece, defined as `irredentism.’ The lever used by Senators Menendez and Snowe to move the Administration was their refusal to allow the U.S. Senate to confirm our new U.S. Ambassador to FYROM until American policy was improved. CEH leaders said, “State Department officials were ostensibly telling FYROM that the U.S. would like them to stop seeking a name like ‘Macedonia’ that describes a part of northern Greece. However, these same officials were also discouraging such a change by saying that Greece’s opposition to their use of the name ‘Macedonia’ was unjustified. Public statements by State Department officials indicated that FYROM’s irredentism was no worse than Greece’s questioning half-century-old private property claims by Skopjians in Greece.” “The Administration had previously refused to use the word ‘irredentism’ when describing FYROM’s desire to use the name ‘Macedonia.’ This was the case even though: (1) the name ‘Macedonia’ describes an ancient geographical area, the majority of which is located in northern Greece; (2) FYROM’s Prime Minister was recently pictured in front of a map depicting much of northern Greece as part of FYROM; and (3) videotapes show FYROM state schools teaching that parts of northern Greece should be part of FYROM.” This change in Administration policy was made explicit in a letter sent this morning to Senator Menendez by an Assistant Secretary of State who indicated that the name Macedonia could have irredentist implications. He said, “We seek a solution that resolves confusion between the country of Macedonia and the larger historical geographic area of Macedonia. Some in Greece have expressed their concern that this confusion could give rise to irredentism…Our Ambassador will, as well, help these leaders understand the dangers of irredentism in any form and the importance of avoiding the implications of irredentism in any form, as well as the need to develop good relations with all of its neighbors.” The Administration also reversed its refusal to communicate the contents of Congressional legislation that highlights FYROM’s violations of its UN-brokered Interim Agreement with Greece. The letter said that the incoming U.S. Ambassador to FYROM “will, on behalf of the Administration, make the leaders of that country aware of the language contained in pending Senate Resolution 300. This resolution expresses, `the sense of the Senate that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) should stop the utilization of materials that violate provisions of the United Nations-brokered Interim Agreement between FYROM and Greece regarding `hostile activities or propaganda' and should work with the United Nations and Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals of finding a mutually-acceptable official name for FYROM.’” CEH leaders said, “Ambassador to FYROM-designate Philip Reeker is reputed to be a fair and highly regarded individual. There are indications that his equating in Senate testimony FYROM’s irredentism with Greece’s questioning minor private property claims by Skopjians to be the work of anti-Hellenes in the State Department. We are hopeful that Reeker will have the skill and judgment to utilize these new Administration positions to help FYROM’s understand that their best interests reside in a name that does not describe the territory of another country.” CEH leaders concluded by saying, “we greatly appreciate the efforts of Senators Menendez and Snowe and their staff for this significant accomplishment.”