Macedonian president Branko Crvenskovski said that he expected that on October 7, the United Nations mediator on the dispute between Athens and Skopje over the use of the name "Macedonia" would be able to table a final version of a compromise proposal.

Speaking in Brussels on October 2 after a meeting with European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, Crvenkovski said that his country would be ready to accept a "fair compromise, which would not prejudice our national and cultural identity in any way". He called on Greece to show the same constructive spirit as his country was doing.

Website euractiv.com said that Crvenkovski and Rehn signalled that the 17-year-old "name dispute" could nearing a solution.

The name dispute revolves around objections by Athens to Skopje using the name Macedonia, which Greece says is inappropriate on historical grounds and could be used to reinforce Skopje's claims on territory in Greece.

Crvenkovski said "Ambassador (Matthew) Nimetz has requested next Tuesday to meet the negotiators from both countries, ambassador (Admantios) Vassilakis of Greece and ambassador (Nikola) Dimitrov and Martin Protoger (chief of staff to Macedonian prime minister Nikola Gruevski).

The aim of the meeting was for both countries to make their remarks or request amendments following mediator Nimetz's last proposal.

"On this basis, I expect that ambassador Nimetz will be able…to table a final version," Crvenkovski was quoted by euractiv.com as saying.

Rehn expressed optimism over the UN-mediated talks. "I really hope this is the final round and we will have a settlement on this issue," Rehn said.

Earlier, addressing the UN General Assembly, Crvenkovski said that his country would accept "only a solution that does not bring into question our national and cultural identity," and added that any pressure on Macedonia to accept an unfair compromise would lead to domestic destabilisation.