National Defence Dimitris Avramopoulos met yesterday with his counterpart from Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) Talat Xhaferi. 

The two ministers signed an agreement regarding a year-long military cooperation between the general staffs of the Greek and fYRoM armed forces, including joint exercises and an increase in the number of students admitted at military schools in the two countries.

In joint statements following the meeting, Avramopoulos reiterated Greece’s long-standing position on the name dispute, stressing that “(…) the achievement of a commonly acceptable solution under the auspices of UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative Mr. Nimetz will contribute to the solution of this long pending problem, as well as the immediate and full restoration of bilateral relations between Greece and FYROM.”

On his part, Xhaferi expressed his wish for a commonly acceptable solution in the near future which would open the path towards FYROM’s full membership in the Euroatlantic institutions.