Journalist:  This week is a week of important developments on issues of foreign policy. Ms. Dora Bakoyannis is going to Washington, where she will meet with Condoleezza Rice. But the Foreign Minister of FYROM will also have a meeting there, so it seems we will be subject to certain pressures. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mr. George Koumoutsakos is on the phone with us. Mr. Koumoutsakos, good day.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Good morning and good week.

Journalist:  Assistant Secretary of State Mr. Daniel Fried stated that our differences with FYROM should not become an obstacle to our neighbouring country's aspirations to further integrate into Euro-Atlantic institutions. Does this forebode pressures?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Mr. Fried's position comes as no surprise. It is a US position that has been repeated lately – in one way or the other. We should, of course, also note that the Americans are at the same time encouraging – and I believe they mean it – both parties to find a mutually acceptable solution. This is our goal. This is our objective. We are going to Washington with the certainty that our arguments and our policy are correct.

Journalist:  But Ms. Bakoyannis will face a difficult task in her meeting with Condoleezza Rice, given that the U.S. – as already shown – thinks the pending name issue should not become an obstacle to FYROM's accession to NATO. This is a difficult task for Greek diplomacy.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Negotiations and the process of finding a solution on this issue - that has been pending for 15 years - have never been easy. The obstinate stance on the part of Skopje's government has rendered this very difficult negotiation even more difficult. But this is something that we have taken into account.

Journalist:  But since we are in the final phase – as Ms. Bakoyannis said herself – now is the time of truth.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: We are unquestionably at a critical phase, but let me say something: over the last few years, the international community has shown an interest in this issue that was previously almost forgotten at an international level. We believe that this kind of activity is useful. Inertia was creating the conditions for this issue to "gangrene". And this was not good for our interests.

So there is activity. Greece, with its own arguments, will do its utmost to achieve a mutually acceptable solution, so that we can put this problem behind us and we can look ahead to the future. Unfortunately, that is something that the government in Skopje is not doing.

Journalist:  And it should, Mr. Koumoutsakos, because what Skopje is saying and what they have been using as an argument – if you will – is that Kosovo's independence will create dangers; its basis is realistic and this means that Greek diplomacy will act in order to find the best possible solution.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: The need to ensure regional stability is an argument in favour of the position of Greece, which is seeking a solution now, and not an argument in favour of perpetuating the problem. The perpetuation of problems – which is what the other side is seeking – reinforces conditions for friction, instability, and insecurity.

Journalist:  There is no doubt that we will do our utmost, as you said, but I'm not sure what impact our actions will have. It has been reported that yesterday, when Mr. Cervenkovski spoke on this in Munich, he was applauded, isn't that so? I mean to say that there has not been a change for the better with regard to the popularity of our arguments.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I just told you that this has never been easy and it is becoming even more difficult due to our collocutors' stance.  We believe in our arguments and in our objective, i.e., to find a solution to the problem. This cannot be substituted by a logic that perpetuates problems, a logic emitted by Skopje which rather reflects the previous century – the 20^th century – or even further back – the 19^th century – and its strong nationalism.

Journalist: Mr. Koumoutsakos, coming to the essence of negotiations – we do not want to go into that of course – I would like to ask a question: In the end you said that what Greece wants is an international name for FYROM for all countries at an international level.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: We want a name for everyone. And by an international name for everyone, we mean that there should not be a misunderstanding as to what the name of this state means.

Journalist:  Does this mean that a necessary precondition is a change in FYROM's constitutional name?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: The clearer the solution achieved, the more beneficial it will be for the settlement of this issue. We ask for clear solutions; the clearer the solution, the better for the settlement of this issue that has been pending for years.

Journalist:  That is correct, but does "clearer" include the issue of the constitutional name? And I'm saying this because there are states, states such as the U.S. in fact, which have already recognised Skopje under its constitutional name.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I would like to say that no solution is conceivable that would further complicate things instead of sorting them out. That is why we are saying: clear solutions; what is a clear solution? We have presented our position and the whole discussion will be on that. We hope that the other side will realise that there are benefits to be gained by this mutually acceptable solution, first and foremost for them.

Let me add something here, Mr. Paikos. I see that lately our neighbouring country has carried out a costly campaign to attract investments. This was going on for months.  Millions of dollars were spent. What was the result of this costly campaign? There were again some Greek investments and essentially no others.

So the conclusion is that the benefits to be gained by a mutually acceptable solution are enormous, first and foremost for our neighbours. They should understand that.

Journalist:  But it seems that they have other priorities. From what we've heard, the counter-proposal that might be suggested to us, which might appear as a compromise on their part, is for a compound name to be used for international organisations and for the name "Macedonia" to be used for bilateral interstate relations. And let's not talk about the scenarios on a triple name that are circulating.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I understand all this interest. It is logical. But I cannot go into "a discussion on hypothetical scenarios" on these negotiations. We've said what we want. We will negotiate in a self-confident manner, because what we are asking for is in favour of the region's stability.

We are not threatening anyone. Our goal is not to impede the neighbouring country's accession to NATO and the European Union. On the contrary, we want them to join. But we are saying that in order for this to happen, there have to be solid foundations. There are no alliances without solid foundations.

Journalist:  Let's call a spade a spade; we are essentially going there with our right to veto.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Skopje is presenting this as an attempt to threaten them. I told you before that Greece is not making any threats. We want solutions. On the other hand, it is absolutely reasonable that, if there is no solution on something that concerns good neighbourly relations between one member state and a country that wishes to become a NATO member, there simply cannot be an alliance. This is the absolutely logical consequence.

Journalist:  It seems clear, however, that Ms. Rice's meeting with Ms. Dora Bakoyannis is very important for these negotiations.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Unquestionably.

Journalist: Does the fact that Mr. Bush is essentially coming to the end of his term in office, and is therefore not facing new elections and not paying attention to any political costs, create difficulties for our own negotiations?

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: All factors are taken into account.

Journalist: There are elections in Cyprus on Sunday, but I am afraid that you will maintain a strict neutral stance – and rightfully so – which means that there is no point in discussing this issue right now.

Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: This is obviously the case. If you wish, we can talk about the Cyprus issue after the elections. But we will never discuss the election result. The Cypriot people will express themselves and choose their leadership freely.

Journalist:  Thank you very much.