The leaders of Macedonia’s main political parties and president Branko Crvenkovski are trying to form a common stand as the UN-mediated talks in the dispute with Greece enter a crucial phase.

The meeting takes place one day before the United Nations mediator Matthew Nimetz is expected in New York to hand to both sides a fresh “take it or leave it” proposal for ending the dispute.

Previously, the ruling and the opposition parties voiced completely different stands regarding this issue.

The ruling centre-right VMRO DPMNE insists on the so called double-name formula that envisages one Macedonia name for international use and another for correspondence with Greece.

On the other hand, the opposition Social Democrats argue that further concessions from Macedonia’s part are needed if a solution is to be reached. They would accept a geographical qualifier for their country that would not undermine the nation's dignity and identity.

Greece insists on Macedonia changing its name and use it in all international relations and institutions.

Changes regarding the name must be completed in the constitution and passports plus there should be guarantees that Skopje will not later change its mind, the Greek Ambassador in Washington Alexandros Mallias recently told United States senators, the local A1 TV reported on October 5.

The US ambassador to Macedonia, Philip Ricker in an interview for the same television network on October 5 urged that political leaders should be “flexible and responsible”, arguing that a unified stance from Skopje on this issue would help the ongoing talks.

The meeting in Skopje will be attended by the prime minister and VMRO DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski, and the leader of his ethnic Albanian government partner Ali Ahmeti of the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI.

Zoran Zaev, the head of the main opposition, the Social Democrats, as well as the leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, Menduh Thaci will also be present. They will be joined by president Branko Crvenkovski.

The long running Athens-Skopje row has left Macedonia outside Nato and is threatening to block its bid to join the European Union as well. In April, Athens blocked Skopje’s bid to join Nato arguing the name "Macedonia" implied Skopje’s territorial claims on Greece’s own northern province of the same name.

A joint meeting, between Nimetz and representatives from both sides, has been scheduled for the morning of October 9, according to an announcement by the UN secretariat.

Source: BalkanInsight.com