Greece used Veto to FYROM NATO bid

During the dinner with all 26 NATO members, the Greek PM Konstantinos Karamanlis used veto to FYROM NATO bid.

The Greek delegation "made it very clear that until the name issue is resolved," offering NATO membership to FYROM would "not be possible". "No solution [of the name issue] means no invitation" Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis had told reporters when leaving for Bucharest.

Greece and FYROM have been deadlocked in a fight over the former Yugoslav country's name for 17 years now. Greece refuses to recognize its constitutional name - Republic of Macedonia - because a northern Greek region is called Macedonia and it fears possible territorial claims.

Also, Athens is deeply offended by posters that have appeared in Skopje, which have the swastika superimposed on the Greek flag, as well as a magazine cover which depicts Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis as an SS officer. And the Greeks feel insulted by recent images of their neighbour's prime minister laying a wreath by a flag showing a map of so called “Greater Macedonia”, which includes parts of Northern Greece.

However, it is thoroughly proved by historic documents and archaeological discoveries which can be found in history books and museums in Greece and around the world that ancient Macedonians were Greek.

The most important archeological discovery in Macedonia is the tomb of King Philippos II. It was excavated in Vergina, Greece in 1978, and it proves beyond any doubt the Greekness of ancient Macedonia. All the findings are characteristic of the Greek culture and all the inscriptions are written using the Greek language. Among the discoveries of this tomb is the "Vergina sun" the symbol that FYROM attempted to use on its flag, initially.

The Slavs descended into the region, not before the 6th century, long after ancient Macedonia was homogenized with the rest of Greece. They don't have any historical cultural or linguistic ties with ancient Macedonia and they would be really foolish if they officially claimed that they did. There is no historic or archaeological evidence connecting them with ancient Macedonia. In any case occupying 25% of ancient Macedonian land does not give them the right to steal the Greek-Macedonian history and culture. The Macedonian civilization was part of the ancient Greek civilization. It is part of Greece's national inheritance and it cannot be used by anyone else.