FYROM Deputy PM In Athens For Talks On Name Dispute

FYROM (Macedonian) Deputy Prime Minister Bujar Osmani has met with Greek government officials in Athens in an effort to settle a decades-old dispute over the name Macedonia.

"We are committed to finding a solution in this six months," said Osmani after the talks on January 9.

He added that "2018 is the golden year of opportunity for my country to make progress in terms of Euro-Atlantic integration."

The meeting comes ahead of a new round of UN-mediated talks between Macedonian and Greek negotiators Vasko Naumovski and Adamantios Vasilakis to be held in New York on January 17, Macedonian diplomatic sources told RFE/RL.

Greece has objected to Skopje's use of the name Macedonia since its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, arguing that it implies territorial ambitions on parts of the country.

Athens also contends that, by claiming the name, Macedonia is...