Macedonia and Greece have a real opportunity, maybe the best one, for solving the so-called name issue, US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Hoyt Brian Yee says in an interview with Bloomberg TV Bulgaria.
He believes that there is a political will in both Athens and Skopje for reaching an agreement on the matter for good.
A hard work is required to that effect as this is not a simple matter for resolving, Yee says. It would have been good if the issue was settled 25 years ago, but if the two countries keep working as they do at the moment under the auspices of UN mediator Matthew Nimetz, Yee says 'we believe a solution is absolutely possible.'
The United States, he says, strongly supports the Bulgaria-Macedonia treaty, which is a good start of or even a prelude to Bulgaria's EU Presidency.
'We believe these are very positive steps, not only for the two countries, but for the entire region. It is an example how two countries are truly committed to reconciliation and finding solutions...When two countries have a political will almost everything is possible,' Yee says.
He also commends the efforts of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his government to work with Macedonia, which has emerged from political crisis and aspires to join the European Union and NATO.