Pope Benedict XVI told Macedonian president Branko Crvenkovski that the country deserved to take its place in united Europe, and he hoped that the prolonged dispute between Skopje and Athens over the use of the name "Macedonia" would be resolved, according to Macedonian media reports.

Crvenkovski was received in audience by the Pope at the Vatican on January 23 2009. Macedonia's state broadcaster reported after the meeting that the Pope had said that the Vatican greatly appreciated "Macedonia's model of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society based on mutual respect".

A Vatican media statement after the meeting said that Crvenkovski had "expressed his recognition for the interest the Holy See has shown in his country since its independence, and underlined the good relations that exist between the two sides, one sign of which is the annual visit of an official delegation to Rome for the Feast of SS Cyril and Methodius.

"The overall situation in the region was also examined, and consideration given to certain bilateral questions," the Vatican media statement said.

According to Macedonian media reports, Italian president Giorgio Napolitano told Crvenkovski at a meeting on January 21 that Italy supported Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic ambitions and that resolution of the "name issue" through moderation by both sides would speed up achievement of strategic objectives.

Greece, which rejects Skopje calling the former Yugoslav republic "Macedonia" on the grounds that this is historically inappropriate, has blocked Skopje's Nato and European Union ambitions saying that it will not allow them to get anywhere until the name dispute is resolved.

Skopje is taking Athens to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, saying that Greece's move to block an invitation to join Nato being issued to Macedonia is a violation of bilateral agreements. Balkan Insight reported that the ICJ has given Skopje until July 20 to set out in writing the basis of its arguments in the court application.

Matthew Nimetz, the mediator appointed by the United Nations to resolve the dispute between Athens and Skopje over the use of the name Macedonia, has announced that the two sides will meet in New York for further talks on February 11 2009.