An agreement between Athens and Skopje over the official name of Macedonia could be closer than ever after Macedonian president announced that his cabinet is to reply in August to the proposals put forward by the UN mediator, Matthew Nimetz. Proposals consisted in several variations of the term "Northern Macedonia" and included guarantees on Macedonia's language and identity.

There is every indication that this is an optimum time to make progress towards the end of the naming dispute, as recently the Greek government has expressed its will to reach an agreement and pressure by international institutions such as the European Union is gaining momentum. If the deadlock in negotiations is broken and the name row is solved, Skopje could join NATO by early 2010 and hold talks to gain access to the EU.

Further information:

• BalkanInsight.com: Macedonia To Reply To "Name" Proposal Soon