US Ambassador to Athens is optimist over name issue settlement


US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt prior to Tuesday’s meetings of UN mediator Matthew Nimetz in Athens, said that he is an optimist that a progress will be achieved in the negotiations for resolving name issue of Macedonia.

In the interview with Greece’s Skai TV, Pyatt said that Washington fully supports the efforts of Nimetz and the UN for finding a solution to the long-standing dispute.

“I’m an optimist. The US will do everything to support the efforts that Nimetz will undertake in the coming days and weeks,” Pyatt said.

Pyatt reiterated that the interest of both the Western Balkan countries and the United States is for them to join NATO and the EU.

Pyatt during his visit to Thessaloniki last week and meeting with Thessaloniki Mayor Yannis Boutaris said that timing is ideal to find a solution to the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece.