On January 16-17, 2012, in New York, Ambassador Zoran Jolevski met with United Nations Envoy Mathew Nimetz for talks to seek progress in resolving differences over the official name of the Republic of Macedonia.

These talks, conducted at the office of the UN Envoy, were held pursuant to the 1995 Interim Accord, under which the two countries agreed to continue negotiations under UN auspices, with a view to reaching an agreement on the difference over the name.  These talks also provided the first opportunity for negotiations since the landmark Judgment of 5 December 2011 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the case filed by the Republic of Macedonia. The ICJ determined that Greece had violated the Interim Accord by objecting to its neighbor’s entry into NATO.  

The last round of talks of mediator Nimetz with the two countries’ negotiators has not brought any specific progress towards a solution. In this respect, the Macedonian side regrets that there was not a joint meeting of the two sides.

The Republic of Macedonia wishes that the spirit of constructive dialogue and cooperation prevailed, that being the only way to overcome the difference. The Republic of Macedonia remains firmly committed to maximally intensifying the dialogue at all possible levels in order to come to a solution to this bilateral dispute.