Only racists support the hijacking of the Greek name of Macedonia and are continuously egging on those poor people of Skopia to continue with this scandalous behaviour.

Several years ago the same racists - from US and UK- were calling the people of Skopia "dirty slavs", when things were different and the present state of affairs did not exist. As a Greek I was aghast with this, even though I knew of the long-standing dispute between us and Skopia, as well as the ideological differences that existed between Greece and Jugoslavia.

Own up.
You invented a new way to intimidate and abuse Greek nationals, something you cannot do at home against blacks-Indians-Africans and other minorities because your own laws prohibit it.

nick, Athens, Greece

Check the DNK tests for Macedonians and Greeks and you will know who is who. Macedonians and Greeks have never been one nation. That is a fact.

I am a Macedonian from the Agean part (greek part) and I don't feel Greekl, I am not Greek. If someone finds out about this I could be killed. Yes democracy in Greece..hahaha. At least we are now allowed to sing Macedonian songs in some cities now.

The Greeks would procecute every Macedonian that spoke or sang in their langugage 10-20 years ago. We were forced to change our names for example: Georgievski became Georgiu and be Greek. The people who refused the Greek resime were forced out o their homes and killed. There are a lot of Macedonians that lost their lifes in this movement but noone know about it. Greeks made sure nobudy knows.

The despute about the name is not all about the history. If Greece recognizes R.Macedonia they will have to recognize the Macedonian minority in Agean Macedonia and give them equal rights.

Dean, Toronto, CANADA

First of all, congratulations to Times for letting readers to express themselves. And secondly, I totally agree with Lionel Stokes, Westminster.

In a few words, he set things right for both admittance issues.

Maria, Athens,

The Skopians want to fight the 1913 war all over again !
Some alliance !
Everybody come to your senses.
Stop hating each other.
It's no good saying big words about liberty when we hate.
What is the reason of hijacking the name of Macedonia other than to abuse Greece (and to a smaller extent Bulgaria) ?
We are witnessing this everyday.
Some "big brother" is behind this, no doubt. Someone who is happy with destabilisation-chaos-disorder and the eventual breaking up of the NATO alliance (not its strengthening).

The new trick of Skopia is to go into crazy depths to find a name that cannot be pronounced in the spoken language of the various nations (hence "Macedonia" wins by default !).
If they call themselves "New Macedonia" (a good and most respectable name by any standards), a foreign person would have to be really-really bigoted to persist with the false "Macedonia" - hence the reactions we see today from their leadership !
But the trick does n't work ...

nick, Athens, Greece

Liam:
George Bush is not a "Cowboy," (geographically, anyway. In all other ways he is.) His "home" in Crawford, TX s, like much of his life, his policies and his administration, a vast subterfuge; it's a movie set designed to give the impression of the Cowboy persona. (He's actually from the East Coast of the United Sates.)

Perhaps a small point, but worth mentioning, I feel.

Gary, vermont, usa

MACEDONIA IS GREEK AND ONLY GREEK! The Slavs in the territory of FYROM did not begin to inhabit the area of FYROM until the 6th century AD. King Philip and Alexander the Great lived in the 3rd century BC in GREEK MACEDONIA (a greek city state just like Sparta, Athens, and all the other Greek city-states of the time). Stop trying to steal our GREEK CULTURAL, HISTORY and IDENTITY AND GET YOUR OWN!

Elena, Brooklyn, New York, USA

To Dimitris
When I wrote "Greece" I meant the cities-states which were Greek but Macedonia isn't.You remember Demosthenes????He referred to the Macedonians as barbarians as different people from the Greeks.

Elena, MACEDONIA,

So is anybody surprised that the European partners kowtowed to Putin? They know what side their bread is buttered on and what would happen to their economic deals. They heard the sound loud and clear when the Ukrainian gas flow was reduced. They know where their gas supplies come from and how easily they can be cut. So why be surprised.

You think the US is energydependent on the Saudis? You don't have any idea of what energy dependent is ... just wait till you see what Russia has up her sleeves for the Europeans.

Jasna, New York , USA

alexander the great must be rolling over in his grave today, watching as the balkins and elsewhere be cut up into smaller and smaller "city states", unable to fend for themselves. his city building and unifying policies based on plato's idea of the state organized to defend and advance the well being of the citizen, is surely missing today.

bruce todd, waretown, usa/new jersey

to Elena, FYROM, or more correctly Vardarska, and anyone concerned

Alexander the Great did not fight against Greece, because there was no such state at the time, nor any other state as we mean them today. The land that today is known as Greece was full of city-states or small kingdoms, whose inhabitants shared some things: language, faith (Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite...) manners and customs,. etc. THEY WERE ALL GREEK. Such 'states' were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Macedonia and so on. When Alexander the Greek created his empire the official language was Greek. It was in that language that the New Testament was written. Isn't that enough for you lot? Alexander The Greek was Greek, not Slav not anything else. Please, explain to us what Philip, Alexander, Thessaloniki, Macedonia mean. But you can, since your language is not greek but a slavic dialect. They mean nothing in your language. According to your thinking Oliver Cromwell and General Lee were not English and American respectively

Dimitris K., Athens , Greece

Dear Richard, from Washington: To answer your question, Greece (like the US) 4000 years ago was a collection of CITIES STATES (just like the United States of America is a collection of states!). The city state of Athens, the city state of Sparta, the city state of Macedonia. (Like you have the State of Texas, the state of Virginia etc). At some point in history and about 15 centuries BEFORE your dear friends and ex-communists the “slavs” appeared in the area, they fought with each other (just like the US North and South war) And at some point (just like the US) they united as what we call today Greece. So, you do you imply that the United States of America should not be United any longer? Because if you ask the people from the NORTH of the US, do not feel anything in common with the people of the SOUTH of America, even today. So, people from Texas, cannot claim that they are American somehow? If that is the case, why a COWBOY from Texas is the current American President?

Liam, London, UK

Would it be possible to trade useless NATO members Germany and France for Ukraine and Georgia? Why should France, which withdrew it's military (but left it's diplomats, thanks alot) in 1966 or Germany, who will not comply with it's obligations under the alliance, have the right to derail the hope of two former soviet members.

Jerry, seattle , usa

I will strongly agree with Yannis from Plymouth...

If Macedonia (that is the northern part of Greece and NOT any other silly and ambitious wannabe country) isn't Greek, then what is the rest of Greece?????

Stop twisting history and stop offending a nation, which is as old as anyone can remember...

As for the Americans....little do they know....I was once in a shop in the States and a woman shouts to her husband..."honey, look...this shoe says UK....is that Ukraine????"...nuff said!

Also....PLEASE STOP CALLING THAT TERRITORY MACEDONIA...They can develop their own culture...not steal someone else's....please do us a favour and get real!!!!

Alex P, Athens, Greece

Also, I'd like to thank the Times for allowing us to speak....

THE BBC HAS REFUSED MY COMMENT....

WHERE IS THE FREEDOM OF SPEACH??????????

Alex P, ATHENS, GREECE

Would it not make sense to start a process for the Ukraine to become part of the EU?
This is not a "security" organisation so should pose no threat to Russia. It would provide security as Russia is unlikely to try and annex a member of the EU.

Matt, Antibes, France

Mr Richard Thorn:
If one comes from Texas, that makes one a Texan, an American or both? I was born in Athens, so I am an Athenian and a Greek. A friend of mine was born is Salonica, Macedonia so he is a Macedonian and a Greek. To make things easier for you Macedonia is a province of Greece, in the same way the Uk has counties and the USA has states and counties. How you would feel if a part of Mexico for instance became independent and chose the name of Texas?
Thank you for your understanding.

Dimitris K., Athens , Greece

Dear Richard Thorn
If you are really look for a awnser, i believe that yr Holywood is an endless sourse of education, knowledge, inspiration thus
by waching the movie of "300" you wld hear, that Leonidas never call his comrades Spartans, does this means were not Greeks?
Also " Alexander the Great " movie all we saw that before battle
and in order to bust comrades moral awlays had to say:
"Come Macedonian, for the Glore of Greece"

And finally what Athenians, Spartans, Hllioi (people from Olympia, Korinthians, Mycenaens etc were / are?

(paliogidi)

YANNIS , PLYMOUTH, UK

To all that are claiming about sopian macedonian language I have a question?

Can any one of them explain to us why only 2 names of their "historian past" have greek roots and all others have slav roots?

Do you know what Phillipos mean? Phil and ippos (filos of ippos which means friend of the horse)

For all Americans. Since you don't know and don't understand geography and histrory don't try to rape them.

Vagelis, Athens, Greece

The Macedonian name is a useful "gun" for American's to impose their geo-strategic position to the Balkan's countries. Notwithstanding, we must not forget that the "part" could not cover the "total". The best solution would be a geographical determination, like " north Macedonia" or even "New Macedonia" which represents the reality with accuracy. The Greece government has already done a clear step toward to finding a viable solution so the next step must be done from Skopje. Greece is an historical member of NATO, in 1952 in the Korea's war 180 Greeks died during the battle's. What NATO could say to veterans from Korea's war; Are there a "selective" alliance, or with their stance invalidate its purpose;

tomazo, nafpaktos/greece,

If you can read Greek or are Greek you can read in all historic sources that Great Alexander calls himself (in Greek) as King of Greek and says that Macedonia is part of Greece. This is simply history and everything is written!

Dimitris P. , Athens, Greece

Britain has its Gurkhas. Why shouldn't Bush have his Ukrainians and Georgians? That's the only remaining purpose of NATO - to supply cheap mercenaries for the Pentagon.
As for Macedonia - US already has a Georgia, Belgium has a province called Luxembourg, even England has a Scotch Corner. So whree's the èproblem?

Augustin, Lausanne, Switzerland

Macedonia...Korinthia..Arkadia..Evritania...Mesinia..Kefalonia...Lakonia...
Notice the last 3-4 letters of the names...These are all GREEK names of Greek provinces...Give me a FYROM province that ends in ONIA...

Minas Papageorgiou, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Answer to Mr Richard Thorn.

Dear Richard, your question is quite on topic.
The word Greek/Hellenic during the anchient time was used to specify a race. Something like the Indians in the US territories. There were the Apachie, Cayen, Moycans, etc, but they were all Indians. That is what happens here. Macedonia, Hepirus, Thrace, Attica(Athens), Lacaedemon(Sparta) etc, were different and indipendent governed states, but the people were of the same race, having the same way of life, worshiping the same gods, speaking the same language with idioms.
In modern Greece/Hellas we claim and say that we are the decentdents of the Ancient people, living on the lands they lived before. The Northern Macedonians(from my point of view) can do the same but they are very very wrong when they claim being the only true Macedonians in the world. Of corse they can claim that politicaly (as they trying to do at this moment), but
saying that you are a Macedonian decendant, means you're actualy Hellenic

John Sideris, Athens, Greece

... but to be precise the rest of the Greeks. Actually this was quite common by that time (2,500 years ago). Athenians fought several times with Spartans and Theves, Argeites (the residents of Argos) fought with Macedonians and the Corithians and Spartans fought with almost everyone. The base of the "country" 2,500 years was not just the nation but the CITY. The idea of the nation as we understand it today was formed must later (mush later actually than th birth of Christ) although that the basic components of a naton excisted: common language, common gods, common ethics. But noone can say that the war between Athens and Sparta was a civil war.
Nowdays th naming issue is not the case. The case lies beneath the name. It is fact that many people in FYROM have grown up with the myth that Greece and Bulgaria occupies the land of their ancestors. An this can really be fatal for the whole Europe. For those who doubt just recall that WW1 started in Yugoslavia. And it was a surprise for many

SP, Chania,

"Skopjes anachronism heats up" Part 3
Some weeks ago the head of the FYROM goverment Gruevski was photographed while like he lead down a wreath to a monument on which a map of the so - called Great Macedonia was which encloses an essential part of Greece to Thessaloniki and to the Aegean Sea. Such anachronistic exercises- to express it once middly- heat up tensions and mistrust in our relations. Not to mention that the city of Skopje was full with the counterfeited Greek flag. In the place of the cross, the Nazi swastika.
Such a thing may have served half a century ago, at the moment of the cold war to the sighting of political self interest, but it has no place in contemporary Europe. The population in FYROM can profit only to arrive an arrangement with Greece. We are the biggest foreign investor and one of their biggest trading partners. The Greek economy has created more than 20000 workplaces in FYROM. Greece is politicaly a natural ally and the most loyal advocate of FYROM.

Margarita Athanasiadou, Frankfurt am Main , Germany

Dear Richard Thorn,
Indeed, you cannot understand "how can someone be Macedonian if he or she is Greek" as I cannot understand how can someone be a West Virginian if he/she is an American (lol). Macedonians, Thessalians, Arcadians, Epirotes, Aeolians, Ionians etc. were ancient Hellenic nations just as Serbs and Croats are southern slavic, or Bavarians, Thuringians, Angles, Saxons and Jutes are Germanic ones. The Macedonians were Dorians like the Spartans. With the same logic of yours the Spartans were not Greeks but "Spartans". Please read some history or ethnology book before you take a stance on this issue.
PS.Every ethnic identity has a certain copyright. The copyright for the Macedonian one, is by default Greek for the last 4.000 years. Simply, the Slavs of FYROM came too late asking for it.

Cleander

Cleander, Sparta, Hellas

So we aren't Bush's poodle any more, we're Putin's. Way to go, Gordon.

William McIlhagga, Ilkley,

You all forget that Alexander the Great fought for MACEDONIA against GREECE. If he was Greek as you claim he is why did he fought against his own nation?????
Why don't you admit that the only reason for which you want to see Macedonia destroyed is that you are all afraid that Macedonia will claim the territory that was taken with the Bucharest agreement .
And the author of the text should correct himself because the birth place of Alexander was Macedonian 100 years ago and then it was given to Greece.

Elena, MACEDONIA,

Iam a Macedonian,11 generations of Greek macedonians,and if Nato regognises and Allows those who for years steal our name how iam going to call myself?Everybody knows that this name was used by Tito in 1948 for his own purposes.How we Greeks can allow someone to be called with the same name just above us?They have stolen our history for years.Their language have nothing to do with Greek or ancient Greek nor their history.Iam so proud for the Greek prime minister and the French Prime minister.What a man Nikola.It took some guts to support us Greeks.Welldone.They are making maps with our territories and talk for obtaining Greek places.They are making our flag with the Nazi sign,we who fought against Nazism.Its realy shame that our alies dont support us,who always supported the European Union and Nato when all these countries were communists.
We will never give up our Macedonian heritage.
Estin oun Hellas kai h Macedonia.
Macedonia is Greece for ever.

Nina Papas, London,Uk,

to Dr. David Green:
I don't know what kind of Dr.are you .but obviously you are not well informed and you should read much more,but not only the Greek sources.Macedonian minority , the genocide in the civil war in 1948 etc. are facts,not somebody's imagination.

Misko, Skopje, Macedonia

Mr. Ljupco Petreski:
I would like to ask you if you are aware what your "glorious" state was called before 1945. It was Tito who named it Macedonia for obvious reasons, since Greece was a DEMOCRATIC state that fought against Nazism and Fascists, and Yugoslavia was at the time a communist state and therefore an enemy of Greece, UK, USA and all other Western Countries. If you ask all European Historians will tell you that the Macedonian language was a greek dialect -check the monuments. All other Greeks could understand what Macedonians were saying. Besides, Philip(pos) and Alexander (Alexandros) are greek names, I can tell you what they mean, can you? If you are "Macedonian" why is it that I can't understand you? Finally, back then there was no Greek State. Greece was divided into several States, one of them Macedonia, and very often they fought each other, remember the wars between Athens and Sparta?
I'm sure Britons can see the truth and remember our two Great Nations are allies

Dimitris K., Athens , Greece

"Skopjes anachronism heats up tensions"
A compromise is exactly what Athens works on. We speak about the geograpic area which is called Macedonia and is the heart of the Balkans- this a very awkward region, hard loaded by her history. The name "Macedonia" does not refer to a certain land (country) only. It has always been used to describe a bigger geographic region, from about 51 percent to Greece, 38 percent to the Former Yugoslavian Republic Macedonia and 9 percent to Bulgaria belong. Greece says only that the monopolisation of the name "Macedonia" does not contribute by one single state to the regional stability and the geographic reality should be taken into consideration. This is also reflected in two resolutions of the UN Security Council and one of the UN plenary assembly. We urge our friends in Skopje to come with us together to one for both sides satisfactory solution.

Margarita Athanasiadou, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Wonderful... At last the government realising that we are European and not a US poodle.

It is time that NATO was broken up: EU interests and US interests may converge but they are not the same.

The USA is big enough to stand on its own and so should the EU. And as for protecting other countries.. we are not good at that so lets not get drawn in.

Peter Goddard, Epsom, England, EU

THE HISTORIC TRUTH is that the Slavs descended into the region not before the 6th century long after ancient Makedonia was homogenized with the rest of Hellas. They don't have any historical cultural or linguistic ties with ancient Makedonia. There is no historic or archaeological evidence connecting them with Makedonia.As well as the inhabitants of The FYRO"M" are mostly Slavs, Bulgars and Albanians. They have nothing in common with the ancient Makedonians.
The Makedonian civilization was and IS part of the ancient Greek civilization. This is well known and recorded in history books. It is part of HELLAS national inheritance and it can not be used by anyone else. Of the region of "historic Makedonia" approximately 90% lies within present day Greece

Before 1944 the area that later comprised of the former Yugoslavia's southern republic was not called Macedonia but was called Vardarska Banovina (Province -of the river- Vardar). It was in 1944 that Tito, the Communist dictator ruling Yugoslavia at that time, created Yugoslavia's southern republic and called it "Socialist Republic of Macedonia". However, "Macedonia" was already the name of one of Greece's northern provinces.
There is no doubt that creating this Republic in the southern region in Yugoslavia and including "Macedonia" in its name was deliberate with the main intention of laying claim to the region of ancient Macedonia of the northern province of Greece. Particularly, what Tito and his Communist allies wanted was the city of Thessaloniki with its lucrative warm water port.

Bakeas Panagis, Athens, Greece

I would like to reply to Anna. First of all I do not understand how can someone be Macedonian if he or she is Greek. So as far as my understanding is if Alexander the Great or Alexander the Macedonian was Greek how come he was Macedonian. And finally why do Greeks call them selves Greeks or Helenics if they are Macedonian. This is an issue which I will never understand. Finally this is a free world and if a nation feels as Macedonian they have every right in the world to have an identity that fits them all.

Richard Thorn, Washington,

I am an Ex pat and have lived in Kiev for years. I cannot think of anything more desabilising to this region than to invite Ukraine to join NATO. Russia is paranoid and will allow itself share a border with such a big potential NATO member as Ukraine. It would be much better to give protection guarantees to Ukraine without inviting it to become a full member. This way the Country's security could be strengthened without making Russia even more paranoid.
Forgive me but you people in the West have no idea of the old Soviet mentality and opinions of the Russian people - They see this as a threat and a reason to re-arm - they need to be reassured and invited more into Western Europe rather than isolated.
Remember also that about 50% of Ukrainians do not want to be in NATO as a result of the total failure of NATO's pathetic P R operation - which even the old communists made look weak and deceiptful. NATO shot itself in the foot in the last 2 years with its pathetic P R in Ukraine.

Richard, Kiev, Ukraine

I wonder whether any of the speakers have really thought seriouly about what they are talking concerning support to the Skopians wishing to call themselves "Macedonians".
I read all this negative criticism of Greeks in a language consisting of Hellenic words and doubt if any thought was given to that.
Historically, culturally, linguistically, nationally or in any way you look at it Macedonia is Hellenic, Greek to those having trouble getting their tounge round the word.
And yet Greeks have not gone round degrading, insulting or provoking their neighbours in any way. Quite the copntrary. They have taken in those in need and offered their support and hospitality in countless ways to all despite race, colour or creed.
In my view a national identity crisis should be dealt in a more subtle less offensive way.

Pavlos, Sparta or Drama, Greece

The US and Europe have different potential enemies and should each look after their own business. Nato is a relic which should not be expanded. Do you really want to send your children to defend Tblisi the next time some Russian dictator invades?

Scrap Nato and get used to life in the real world.

Tom, Chicago, USA

Britain oppossed to something the US wants? I'm impressed!!! Way to go....

Tijana, Belgrade, Serbia

I am a Macedonian born in Thessaloniki, and grew in Kastoria, GREECE. My grandfather was a doctor in WWII, in Macedonia, in a village occupied by the AXIS. When the war ended and the greek civil war began, many Greek resistance fighters who fought against the loyalist Greeks, retreated to TITO's, NEW NATION-then known as Vardar- Skopja!! When the antartes were defeated, they stole thousands of Greek children from villages with the hope of endoctrinating them and train them to be good communists. These children were endoctrinated in the province of VARDAR ( renamed Macedonia under Tito). Some of the abducted children now in their 60's and 70's have returned to Greece, and some stayed in Vardar. One of them was even a prime minister, in Skopja,

Greece's Alexander The Great , spread Hellenism through Asia and with this came the use of Greek-The New Testament was written in GREEK, NOT SLAV- Slavs like to claim the history, but they simply did not exist until A.D.
Dr.Anna V. Smith

Anna V. Smith, Houston, Texas/USA

When NATO extends an invitation to Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and other N. African countries to join the pact, then it will be obvious that NATO is not pursuing another cold war.
Until then the original member countries are still living in the past and make feeble attempts proclaiming that Russia is reverting back to "cold war mentality" - none of the former Socialist bloc should have been included.

Paul, Portland,OR, USA

As we can all see DICTATOR-Tito is still alive, he should be proud of his inheritance, the current political-Slavic culture located in FYROM.
One message to all chaps in FYROM, Tito is dead, his ideas too. If you wish to continue walking along his inheritance is your problem only. We have no intention to follow you in this dangerous path.
Macedonians were existing before the Slavs appear and are Greeks; they talk and write Greek as well. Please do not forget the Cyrillic alphabet is based on the Hellenic Alphabet.
As for the Slavic minority in Greece it can only be found in Titos memoirs and his remaining followers and fanatical funs in FYROM.
By the way let me remind you that democracy founded and implemented firstly in Greece. I guess the remaining Titos followers may benefit from a broader study of the concepts of classical democracy. I know it takes time to learn, keep trying!!

petros, London, UK

I am a proud Greek National,Roman Catholic in Religion and of Venetian decent.

Regarding the "FYROM" Macedonian name issue, I will like to say the following:

We have : North Carolina and South Carolina,England and New England ,Scotia and Nova Scotia,North Pole and South Pole, North America and South America......

WE USE DIFERRENT NAMES IN ORDER TO TELL THE AREAS APART.

BASED ON THIS SIMPLE LOGIC ...... we can have North Macedonia or Slavic Macedonia or Vardar Macedonia or Nova Macedonia.I am certain that most logical Greeks will accept all of those names above.

Too simple for the stubborn People of FYROM ?

Anyone who does not understand or accept this simple logic ,like George Bush ,need to have their heads examine.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE CONFUSING HISTORICAL ARGUMENTS IN ORDER TO PROVE YOUR POINT.

Rest my case!

Tony

Tony Vuccino, Toronto, Canada

Making Albania a member N.A.T.O state is a great honor for all the Albanians all over the world. We must thank those that made it possible for us Albanians to join the Great Alliance of civilized nations, Great Britain, Canada and the U.S first and foremost.
Also thanks to all the other members of Alliance especially the Germans, French .Italians and many thanks too, to the brave Poles as well.
Thank you all for helping us Albanians Next hope it will be the other small but good and important state in the Balkans Kosova.

Yes, we speak the same language with them, we are all Albanians . We have never threatened any one, nor we ever will.
May God bless and protect all those countries and their peoples for helping and protecting us Albanians from the wolves. You know who they are,no need to mention names here.
The government of Macedonia must do much, much more to bring the Albanians into the government and to treat them equally which they havenot done so far..

L.A. ISUFI, Paramus. N.J, United States

Typical hypocrisy of the West. Ukraine and Georgia are under so much pressure from Russia, and they are sacrificiing a lot to move towards the West. Everyone knows the "gas war" between Russia and Ukraine.
Yet the West is not ready to invite Ukraine to NATO membership, a process that can take up to 10 years to complete. No wonder people all over the world talk about western hypocrisy.

Tom, London,

I'm against any pacts like NATO, for obvious reasons and masked fighting for human rights and democracy all over the world, and somehow I'm glad that Macedonia won't get an invitation to join NATO. But, my dear Darien from Tirana, ask yourself, you say Greece is right. Okay but is Serbia right for Kosovo question? You think with a mind of nationalist and that's the worst thing that is happening in this region. I'm Macedonian and i don't agree with any nationalistc feelings but Greece actions are far from democratic. It's easy to spit to someone's face my dear Darien, but you should have in mind that's not a polite thing to do. I HOPE that someday people from the Balkans will speak with the true language of democracy, not this one. This is not democracy this is hypocracy. that's why Macedonia has sent approx. 1500 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and Greece none, and still has a power to wave with a veto. That's NATO my dear friend.

Ljupco Petreski, Prilep, Macedonia

By the way:the Greek of the times of Perikles and Demosthenes didn't acknowledge the Macedonians as true Greek. Of course they were of indo-european origin,but something different as the people of Athens and Sparta.But that's not my problem. The scandal is,that Russia is excluded out of the system of european security and the USA is allowed to misuse the Nato for American purposes.We in Europe are victims of islamic hatred only because we are allies of the USA which try to spread their system of nihilist economy all over the world and destroy other cultures.

Rolf-Peter, Gammertingen, Germany

If I rememeber correctly, Prince Philip was born on Kerkyra, Greece, and he is related to the Ex-King of Greece, Constantine, who now resides in London. YES, Philippos is a Greek Name from PHILOS and IPPOS+ friend to Horses. Whether HRH Philip considers himself a Greek now is irrelevant, since all the Kings /Queens are related
Anna

Anna V.Smith, Houston, USA/Texas

Expanding NATO is meant to make the alliance's members safer. Allowing Skopje to become a NATO member while it claims that Northern Greece is occupied territory and Alexander the Great was a Skopje Slav won't really make the Alliance safer. Ukraine and Georgia's problems are different and their applications should be supported in the long-run, but in the short-run they should be given help to achieve internal stability (after all, half of the Ukraine doesn't want to join NATO, so what's the point of introducing that instability to the Alliance?)

Lionel Stokes, Westminster, England

First of all Thanks to Nato for extending the invitation to Albania.
While it is never right to strip someone off of their identity, Greece does have a valid point. I'm not sure if this should be used as a bargain tool for entry into a political and military alliance, however it is not right to claim the history of another and bear the name and glory of a different people. In addition Macedonia has not fully met the Ohrid agreement concerning the rights of its largest minority, the Albanians.
Only two weeks ago the later, left their positions from the political alliance. These events make the country unstable to be considered a NATO ally.
Perhaps by next NATO summit, these issues are resolved and FYROM will be a model state in the Balkans.
Good luck!

Darien, Tirana, Albania

To Dr David Green:You should be ashamed for talking a lot of non sense. I do not know how well you know your history and because you leave in Athens now and been brainwashed by Greek media. There was a big Macedonian(Slavic) minority which leaved in North East Greece. Big part of it was Ethnically cleansed in the civil war you are mentioning but there are still Macedonian(Slavic) population in North Greece which the greek Government is denying all this time.
Greece is Called Eliniki Demokrtatia,but sadly it is anything but democratic

Darko Kamev, London, UK

Thank You Dr. David Green for such an eloquent and intellectual remark! The Macedonians continue to feed this garbage to their students and they come up with ridiculous assumptions.
Johnny needs to go and get his facts straight! Long live the Greeks!

Angela, Arlington, MA

Well, as listening all of this comments I could say one thing, as a Croatian expat living in Skopje, Macedonia, I would ask you one question, who gives rights to any to say that Greeks have right to say who will be called who, the main Greek problem is that they Kicked out thousands of Macedonians during the 2 World war out of their homes and land from Macedonia in Greece, and they are afraid that Macedonians will claim their rights to give them back the land and the houses of 'Macedonia' seatled in Greece. It is also very true that wholle of this part of Macedonia belongs to Slavic Macedonians, Greeks knows that and are thretenning, According to the Bucurest treathy in 1912 Macedonia was divided in 3 parts, on 100 years Vardarian to Serbs, Ageian to Greeks and Pirinian to Bulgaria after 100 years it is ending in some years, and Greeks are afraid of this too. And on other side Greeks have problems with everybody, Albania, Turkey, Macedonia, all of their neighbours. No wonder they opose

Johnny, Skopje, Macedonia

If I also remember well, HRH Prince Phillip, has a Greek Name: Philippos, the same name with the father of Alexander the Great. I would like to ask Mr. Gordon Brown to ask HRH Prince Phillip if he believes that he is of a Greek or a Slav origin!

George, London, UK

None of these the 3 countries - Georgia, Ukraine or Fyrom - should be admitted to Nato at this particular juncture. As a British expat living in Athens I've been appalled by the vitriolic attacks by this non-state of Fyrom on Greece, one of the UK's longest allies and a country for which many British soldiers gave their lives. The claim by Fyrom to be called Macedonia is quite ridiculous and the claim that Alexander the Great was a Slav is beneath contempt. Greece gives support and protection to Nato warships, including British warships, at its Cretan base and allowed British regiments to pass through its territory on their way to Bosnia. It's time for the timid Miliband and Gordon Brown to stand up tomorrow and deny not only Georgia and the Ukraine entry to Nato but also Fyrom. Churchill defended Greece in its hour of need twice - in WW2 and in the Greek civil war against a communist takeover - and it's incumbent on Gordon Brown to follow in the master's footsteps at Bucharest.

Dr David Green, Athens, Greece