Vasco, please comment on this: "We are Slavs who came to this area in the 6th century. We are not descendants of the ancient Macedonians." Kiro Gligorov, FYROM's President, February 26 1992.

Marios, London,

Alexander spoke Greek, his name is in fact derived from the greek words Alexein (to protect/defend) and Andros (Anir- man, Andros - of man), i.e. Protector of Man. Phillip, Olympias and Thessaloniki are also Greek names. Furthermore all the inscriptions on ancient maced. stautes is in greek

Marios, London,

Vasco educate yourself, Greece is a unifed nation with a common language but different diallects.There is no such thing as "multiple nations" within Greece.

The reason for which one can find people in places like Afghanistan that speak Greek is attributed to Alexander the Great.

Marios, London,

Remind me what language Alexander the Great spoke?

Michael, London, UK

Dear Vasko, just for the records, the ancient Macedonia never included Scopia area. 90% of it is occupied now by Greece, 7% by FYROM and 3% by Bulgaria. The now situation was only Tito's idea for his own purposes took place after 1945 as before that your territory was named Verdasca. Also, please google for "Andronicos" as history is always backed-up by relevant escavations and related historical documents from other countries ex Egypt, India etc where Alexander the Great have left his marks. (They are all talking about Hellenistic period).
Rania

Rania, Athens, Greece

Oh and I am sure you in greekland speak only greek. In the matter of fact your government don't even acknowledge the existence of most other nations that live in your country that's why it is so odd for you to understand that in one country there could be dozen of other languages and nations who live. Bulgarians are just like you not acknowledging Macedonia, but in their "truth" Macedonian name is OK, just the nation and its people are non existent so I wouldn't even comment your and their ridiculous "truth".
As I said before your "truth" is not mine truth. The name is ours to use as we please and you can use it for what you please. Degrading and negating our nation is what you greeks and bulgarians do for the past century.
Even though Macedonia province and the country were same thing long time ago, now is what's matters. So quit leaving in the past. Macedonia and Macedonians will leave on whether you like it or not. We have lived trough far more difficult times then your veto.

Vasko, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

You say that you are a Macedonian nation, then how come your nation's name and country is GREEK? And yet, in FYROM you speak Bulgarian, Albanian, Servian, and even Turkish. What you say about a "macedonian" language is nothing but a Bulgarian diallect. It's high time you face the truth.
Rania -Athens

Rania, Athens, Greece

I would write to express our deep disappointment at the lack of support by the British Government for Macedonian membership in NATO during the recent summit in Bucharest . As citizens of Great Britain we relied on British support because we believe that Britain has a vision for a great, unified Europe , a continent which will prosper and benefit from all its members eventually joining NATO and the EU.
Britain supports Macedonia on many levels with expertise and advice and has been involved in stabilising the Balkan region where Macedonia is situated. It is sad that although Britain is a major force it did not stand up at the summit in Bucharest to confirm what all of NATO have been saying for years now: that Macedonia is ready to become an equal member of the Alliance .

Bonna, London, UK

History is the most inaccurate science of all.
Greeks, you are afraid of us Macedonians?? U think you have the RIGHT to claim our name?? The name is ours and we don't have problem sharing with you or any other for that matter. Just because you are economically, politically and military stronger then us, it doesn't give you the RIGHT to obstruct in our desires to prosper that don't hurt you at all??
The main reason of your fear was stated here by a non-Macedonian. Alex why don't you say what your mother is saying about 1948?
The truth is that all of the sources would be lying for some events, lesser or grater. History as a "science" will make sure of that. If Greece should give heritage they will. If not now then in 1000 years if the human kind will still exist. In the mean time don't obstruct us. If you believe in God, as you all Greeks like to say, you should be more afraid from Him what scourge He will give you for your sins towards Macedonia and Macedonians.

Vasko, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

It's a very good solution the FYROM to be called - and I am not ironic at all about this - BUSHLAND as they seemed to be adopted by him.

Rania, Athens, Greece

Some say that Greeks have nothing to be afraid from a 2 million country on their northern borders, because in a case of conflict they would easily prevail.
First make no mistake Greek people are not happy with the proposed names by their government
Second as any nation has the right to claim any name for itself so Greece has every right to consider that name as an insult to their own history and believes and take all measures under international laws and treaties to defend their point of view
Third it is surprising the reaction of many people since Greece just remained steady on what they claimed they would do from the beggining
Forth it is sadly surprising that our american allies fail to understand that the issue is not to prevail in any comflict over name or territory but not to have any issues for which we would have to prevail, and it is sad because they are still paying a heavy toll in human lives and money in two recent wars that they have won
Dr Ioannis Kondolatis

Ioannis Kondolatis, ATHENS, GREECE

I completely agree with everything Lars-Erik Mattson said. Greece just sound like they are complaining over nothing, and if anything, it is the Macedonians that have a more legitimate reason to complain about their actions.

rach, reading,

Just read this my fellow Americans:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/03/20080325-4.html

George, London, UK

All NATO countries agreed to a final text that supported Greece's position that Skopje cannot join NATO until the name dispute is resolved. This suggests that the dispute is much more than some vague historical disagreement.

Peter Kyriakeas-Kirk, Stoupa, Messinias, Greece

What Lars-Erik Mattsson said it is completely true.
I know many people that are expelled afrom Greek territory in 1948.
In fact the number of expelled Macedonians is much more than 30000. Actually the greatest heroes in the Macedonian history were born in Eagean Macedonia (Goce Delchev, K. Misirkov).
The Greek propaganda tries to hide this, but nowadays with modern sources of information it is a hell of a job. The true thing is that the sons and grandsons of the expelled Macedonians will claim property return (now estimated 10 billion US$)
It is insane that somebody can deny you the right to identify yourself as you like. We have lived in this territory for more than 1500 years and we have every right to identify as Macedonians.
That is not the case with most of the Greeks that live now in Macedonia province, because most of them are settled there after the Turks have left the area with exchange of population between Greece and Turkey. Before 1913 Macedonians were majority there.

Darko, Skopje, Macedonia

What Lars-Erik Mattsson said it is completely true.
I know many people that are expelled afrom Greek territory in 1948.
In fact the number of expelled Macedonians is much more than 30000. Actually the greatest heroes in the Macedonian history were born in Eagean Macedonia (Goce Delchev, K. Misirkov).
The Greek propaganda tries to hide this, but nowadays with modern sources of information it is a hell of a job. The true thing is that the sons and grandsons of the expelled Macedonians will claim property return (now estimated 10 billion US$)
It is insane that somebody can deny you the right to identify yourself as you like. We have lived in this territory for more than 1500 years and we have every right to identify as Macedonians.
That is not the case with most of the Greeks that live now in Macedonia province, because most of them are settled there after the Turks have left the area with exchange of population between Greece and Turkey. Before 1913 Macedonians were majority there

Darko, Skopje, Macedonia

People why can't you all stop living in the past.What is Greece so afraid of?!Is it the fact that there is a Macedonian language and Macedonian nation so terrifying?!We are just 2 million a peaceful nation who just want our place under the sun . What has Greece done to help Macedonia. After the Summit it is clear to everyone that Greece doesn't want our country to exist. In the past 15 years we changed our flag, constitution and a lot of other things to please Greece well my friend s it stops here and now.This is off course another set back for Macedonia but we will prevail.We survived 500 years of Ottoman rule, two Balkan wars, the brake up of Macedonia in 1913, two world wars and a Greek genocide 1946-1949.It is the basic human right for anyone to choose their own name.Today we are punished for doing just that..I would also like to" thank" Europe some day maybe you will be able to see to injustice you have done.Our name will live on despite everything because that's what we are!

Ivo, Skopje, Macedonia

completely agree with Lars-Erik Mattsson.

shkeens, Sydney, Australia

TO LARS-ERIK MATTSON: Dearest, if one day your neighbours start claiming parts of Sweden, or claim that part of your history and culture is not yours, DON'T complain...

our issue is NOT the name (only)....if you have any doubts about the past, the internet(as you say) has made it very easy for anyone to have access to ancient scripts. Check them out....regarding 1948....google says that, I say something different.....my mother, who happens to be a rather known historian says something else....and Oxford University says something else....who do you believe then? Check things out for yourself....nothing like what you say happened in 1948.

Alex P, Athens, Greece

It is inaccurate that "all the alternatives offered so far have been rejected by Greece." Greece has accepted a composite name with a geographical designation such as Republic of Upper Macedonia. It is rather the government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that has refused any meaningful compromise on the issue. Greece has gone part of the way between its initial position and that of its counterpart, but this good will has not been reciprocated.

Greece's official position has nothing to do with "Alexander the Great". As noted by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis in her article "All in a Name" in the WSJ, a country which occupies 38% of the geographical region of Macedonia cannot be called "Republic of Macedonia", especially since fYROM has continued with moves such as renaming the airport "Alexander the Great", allowing the defacement of the Greek flag with swastikas, or laying wreaths to monuments bearing a map of "Greater Macedonia", which includes even Thessaloniki.

Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Athens, Greece

Belgium has a province neighboring Luxembourg, also called Luxembourg.

France has a province called Brittany just across the channel from Britain.

Nothing confusing there.

As for the history of Macedonians, no one can dispute that the present day territory of the Republic of Macedonia sits on part of the territory of Ancient Macedonia (as numerous excavation sites have shown). Are modern-day Macedonians direct descendants of the Ancients?

It's like trying to answer whether modern day Brits are descendants of the ancients of Roman Brittany. Or did they mix with the Romans, Normans, Saxons, Vikings (even French dare I say). Who can say for certain. But they still call themselves British.

Smoke and mirrors.

The dirty truth the Greeks hide is they exiled 30,000 children (ethnic Macedonians with Greek citizenship) during the 1948 civil war. These children have now grown up and are claiming their heritage. Don’t believe me? Google!

This is what Greece is really afraid of

Lars-Erik Mattsson, Stockholm, Sweden

With the spectre of Putin's soviet union style Russia emerging in the east, it is important for these countries, that have been for so long under the communist heel and have lived with the "blessings" of being in the Russian sphere, to have the NATO lifeline. For Europe's "Reluctant Dragons" to deny hope for Ukraine and Georgia would have been on a par with Munich 1938.

Jerry, seattle , usa