Greek opposition to global recognition of the Macedonian identity!
NATO ignoring a Court Decision!
In the last decade Greece has used its military political and economic power which by Balkan Standards is very strong to destabilise a modern European nation called the Republic of Macedonia and to ignore international law by vetoing Macedonia’s entrance into the NATO alliance because of the name of the country and the name of the people. What is even more concerning is that NATO and the European Union have made a conscious choice to ignore a Court Decision by the International Court of Justice which ruled that the so called name issue does not imply territorial pretensions towards Greece and it was Greece that breached the interim accord by vetoing Macedonia's entrance into NATO. In short this new chapter in NATO foreign policy of ignoring the rule of law has now become an unwelcome part of Europe’s 21 century political and security landscape.
The Greek conduct against the international acceptance of f Macedonia as a state and the Macedonians as a people relies on pre deployed political lobby groups conducting in many ways unconventional warfare as well as cyber warfare and significant information warfare activity using conventional media and the internet to spread its anti Macedonian propaganda and justify their position that Macedonians do not exist. Most of these lobby groups operate in the western countries.
In the Balkan Wars of 1912-193 when Greece for the first time in history seized the territory of Macedonia from the then Ottoman empire used the best military tools it had at the time, however, now, in the 21 Century Greece is again using modern 21 century tools of strategic deception and well calculated ambiguity to achieve their political goals against the Republic of Macedonia.
As we read and remember what our grand parents told us about Greek military forces rolling into Macedonia in 1912 it is clear that the then invasion of the then Ottoman Turkey where Macedonia was a province was part of a well developed strategy of Greek expansionism that took the classic elements of military thinking and today the same elements are being used by Greece with modern 21 century tools, tactics and capabilities to achieve their political goals which they started in 1912.In short the Greek view is that if there is no country called Macedonia then there are no people called Macedonians and Greece does not have to explain the historic expulsion of ethnic Macedonians from Greece between 1912-1947 and the forced confiscation of property owned by ethnic Macedonians in today's Greece.
This strategy by Greece has significant implications for NATO and for Europe’s future.
Lets be clear Greece's political action in and around the Republic of Macedonia have not been and are not defensive in nature. Greece's action on the international scene exceed any definition of “defensive” and part with any reasonable understanding of what is politically required to secure their country. The attack on Macedonian self identity is also beyond anything that could be called civilized. Their irresponsible conduct does allow Athens to shape the so called name dispute by putting pressure on the Republic of Macedonia at all levels and providing a cover for Greek support to the international lobby groups to spread propaganda and attempting to subvert Macedonian independence and self identity by lobbying foreign governments that no such thing as an Independent Country called "Macedonia" exists" and no such thing as an Ethnic Macedonian exists, therefore the country should not be recognised as the Republic of Macedonia.
Surprise, deception and strategic ambiguity have been adeptly employed by Greece against Macedonia. The Greeks have demonstrated unexpected flexibility in saying the right things on the international scene like we support Skopje's integrity, we want them to succeed etc. Words are one thing and action is another thing. This political action demonstrates a new model of Greek political thinking applying traditional tenets of Greek thinking to achieve their core national goals, that is the denial of the existance of a Macedonian State and Macedonian people..
What is it that Matthew Nimetz can do at the United Nations when the Greeks are literally allergic to anything Macedonian or even the term Macedonian? The answer is very simple he needs to return to the security council and advise that this so called name dispute started with three Greek demands, namely change the Macedonian Flag, change the Macedonian Constitution and change the the name of the country due to serious security concerns by Greece. The Flag and the constitution were changed by the Republic of Macedonia and in relation to the name it is a well known historic fact that, twenty years since the so called name dispute commenced and 71 years after the formation of the then Peoples Republic and later Socialist Republic of Macedonia there was and there is no security threat to Greece which is a member of the most powerful military alliance in the world NATO. Therefore there is no issue of concern except Greek allergy to Macedonian self identification.
Mr Nimetz should also advise the security council that the International Court of Justice which is a U. N body also found that the so called name issue is not a threat to the security of Greece and also noting that even if a country does change its name that in itself does not guarantee the security of another country. On the one hand the international community impresses upon Macedonia and other countries the importance of the rule of law so in this situation why id the same international community they choosing to ignore the decision of the ICJ?
With or without a resolution of the so called name issue the Greek strategy of destabilising Macedonia will continue to exist. It is a destabilising political strategy, with serious ramifications for Europe’s political and military equilibrium.
So I ask myself if NATO allows Macedonia in as a member state then what is it that Greece can do? Leave the alliance?, highly unlikely.Even if it does it will be a loss to Greece and no one else?
Greek action against Macedonia represents a series of wrong steps in the wrong direction and move Europe away from its original post cold war vision of being whole and free. The have also moved NATO further away from realising a vision of strategic partnership and presence in Macedonia which is part of the resolution of European and global security challenges.
Like every one else I am hopeful a political solution to the so called name issue is within reach for any rational minded person but the whole so called name issue is irrational and therefore i cannot see any resolution apart from my aforementioned possition. Yet the fundamental reality is that Greece has broken the trust that so many have worked for so long to build and has to learn to live with the fact that there are people who self identify as Macedonians, as for the so called security of Greek I am confident that NATO is well prepared to protect Greece.
Now, I am convinced that the only solution to the so called "name issue" is the following position and the only country that can enforce it is the U.S.A. Maybe? on the European front Germany can also do a little bit better with Macedonia and stand up to Greek mythology which is lost in the ancient world?
What can be done about so called Greek sensitivities about Macedonian self identification, well in March 2002, a great American called Mr. Richard Holbrooke, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, delivered a llecture at Johns Hopkins University regarding the situation in the Balkans. Below is an excerpt from that lecture:
Question: How should Macedonia...ns call themselves?
Answer: "Macedonians"
Question: Their country?
Answer: "Macedonia"
Question: Their language?
Answer: "Macedonian"
Question: How to solve the problem with the Greeks?
Answer: "the Greeks must learn to adjust"
NATO has an opportunity to put a stop to this Greek destabilising strategy by allowing Macedonia to join this alliance.
QUELLE - Falanga.com.au
QUELLE - Falanga.com.au
