The Macedonian parliament will sit on the possible change of the constitutional name of the country at the last possible minute before Nato's April 2-4 2008 summit in Bucharest and only if it is necessary.

The decision came on March 30 at the meeting of top Macedonian officials, the press services of the Macedonian cabinet and president said on March 31, as quoted by Focus news agency.

Macedonian politicians would continue to "communicate intensively" on the issue, according to the statements.

On March 30 another round of political consultations was hosted Macedonian president Branko Crvenkovski to discuss the name dispute with Greece, which is threatening to prevent Macedonia from receiving an invitation to join Nato at its Bucharest summit, Focus news agency said.

Consultations were held between Crvenkovski, Macedonian prime minister Nikola Gruevski, foreign minister Antonio Milososki and Nikola Dimitrov, the country's negotiator on the name issue. Macedonia's parliament was expected to sit on the possible name change on March 31, in the first-ever parliamentary debate on the issue.