Greece, N. Macedonia agree to 'leave behind hate' after name dispute

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North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and his visiting Greek counterpart, Alexis Tsipras, agreed Tuesday to leave behind hate and division and build bridges of cooperation and understanding between the two countries.

Speaking at the press conference in Skopje, Zaev said that the historic meeting was a strong expression of joint political will and a clear indication of a willingness to settle the open issues.

Workers cover over the border sign at the Macedonian-Greek border with the country's new name "The Republic of North Macedonia" after the Prespa agreement in Gevgelija, North Macedonia, February 13, 2019. /VCG Photo

"This is the first time that North Macedonia welcomes a Greek prime minister since the country declared independence in 1991," Zaev said, stressing that the 2018 Prespa Agreement between the two countries which resolved their long-running name dispute will serve the interests of both Athens and Skopje.

Macedonia recently changed the country's name to "Republic of North Macedonia" to distinguish it from a bordering province in Greece. The move also cleared the biggest obstacle for the Balkan country's bid for NATO and the European Union (EU).

Macedonia parliament agrees to change country's name

In his remarks, Tsipras said that the two countries are building a different story for the Balkans through the implementation of the Prespa Agreement. According to Tsipras, Greece will support North Macedonia in its efforts and reforms to become part of the EU.

"Today we signed a memorandum of understanding and advancement of North Macedonia's EU pre-accession and accession processes," Tsipras said, adding that the economy was the main focus of the meeting. "We have to press on to bridge the gaps of the past and to avoid double taxation."

General view of the Greek parliament before a vote on an accord between Greece and Macedonia changing the former Yugoslav republic's name in Athens, Greece, January 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

The two prime ministers said that they had established a "coordination cooperation committee," which "is tasked with overseeing and supporting such efforts to strengthen business ties."

In the field of defense, the two countries' foreign ministers signed a cooperation agreement, which shows Greece's willingness to help North Macedonia build defense capacities, Tsipras said.

Tsipras confirmed that Greece will conduct air control from Thessaloniki in order to guarantee the security of North Macedonia's air space.

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev (L) makes a selfie with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras prior to their meeting in Skopje, April 2, 2019. /VCG Photo

The two premiers also announced the opening of a new border crossing near the North Macedonian town of Kavadarci that will reconnect the region of Prespa, a region shared between the two countries.

During the meeting, representatives of the two countries signed several agreements in the fields of transportation, military and border security cooperation, energy, agriculture and digitalization.

(Cover: Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev (L) welcomes his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras in Skopje, April 2, 2019. /VCG Photo)

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Source(s): Xinhua News Agency