In April 2012, legislation was introduced in the US House of Representatives calling upon the FYROM to work within the framework of the UN process with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals of finding a mutually acceptable composite name, with a geographical qualifier and for all uses for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It also opposes HR 4243 and SR 2177 that were introduced earlier in the year and were advocating a break from existing US & NATO policy and allowing FYROM to ascend into the Alliance without first resolving existing disputes with Greece.
The American Hellenic Council has already taken action. We are supporting H.R. 627 and opposing H.R.4243 and S.R. 2177. We have also asked all the elected Representatives from California to oppose any break from existing US policy at the upcoming NATO Conference. We have communicated those positions in writing and we have also contacted the Congressmen and Congresswomen that we have relationships with to present our arguments.
What can you do? Please take two minutes today and ask your elected U.S. Representative to support our positions by emailing him through our easy form here!
Urge FYROM to work in good faith in resolving the name dispute with Greece
Urge your elected Congressmember to co-sponsor recently introduced House Resolution 627 asking the government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to work in good faith in resolving the name dispute with Greece.
Brief Historical Background
Macedonia in ancient times was inhabited by Hellenes (ethnic Greeks) and geographically covered an area that included what is today northern Greece (about 50%), partly FYROM (about 40%) and a small part of today's Bulgaria (about 10%). The northern region of Greece that was included in ancient Macedonia is also called Macedonia today. After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991-1992, a new independent country (FYROM) was created to the north of Greece and self-proclaimed itself as "Macedonia".
Macedonia in ancient times was inhabited by Hellenes (ethnic Greeks) and geographically covered an area that included what is today northern Greece (about 50%), partly FYROM (about 40%) and a small part of today's Bulgaria (about 10%). The northern region of Greece that was included in ancient Macedonia is also called Macedonia today. After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991-1992, a new independent country (FYROM) was created to the north of Greece and self-proclaimed itself as "Macedonia".
The new landlocked country, comprised mostly of ethnic Slavs (about two thirds) and Albanians (about one third), immediately embarked on a campaign of appropriating the Ancient Macedonian identity and announced that it will only accept as its internationally recognized name the name "Republic of Macedonia". Despite the fact that Slavic and Albanian populations did not descend to the area until much later in history, the government of the new country, started claiming exclusivity on the history of Ancient Macedonia in its effort to manufacture an ethnic identity for itself and or with hopes that it might somehow raise claims to the northern part of Greece that had access to the seaport of Thessaloniki. As a result, FYROM promulgated propaganda in which it claimed portions of Greek territory and usurps Greek national identity and culture (e.g. claiming that Alexander the Great was ethnically their ancestor).
With the belief that this was detrimental to Greece's national sovereignty but also destabilizing for the region as a whole, Greece tried in good faith to negotiate an end to the name dispute and any implicit territorial claims that FYROM might make through historical revisionism. As a result in 1995, Greece & FYROM signed an Interim Accord proclaiming a temporarily recognized name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and urging the new country from ceasing any aggressive activities vis-a-vis its neighbors.
However, since 1995, due to FYROM government's intransigence, the negotiations have reached a stalemate, while the government of FYROM is continuing to exclusively claim Ancient Macedonian identity for its population. Greece has offered compromise on the name issue hinting that it will accept a composite name with a geographic or ethnic qualifier for the new country. However, FYROM is insisting on the name "Republic of Macedonia" and not backing down from its unreasonable claims.
Most recently, FYROM is pursuing a campaign of lobbying the US government to overturn a previous NATO decision that FYROM needs to permanently and in good faith resolve its name dispute with fellow NATO member Greece before it can be admitted into the alliance.
Political Action
On April 19, 2012, U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), co-chairs of the Hellenic Caucus, introduced House Resolution 627, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should work within the framework of the United Nations process with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals of finding a mutually acceptable composite name, with a geographical qualifier and for all uses for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The legislation, H.Res.627, also calls on FYROM to abstain from all hostile activities and stop violating provisions of the United Nations-brokered Interim Agreement and urges the United States Government to work in partnership with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to uphold previous NATO Summits decisions, with regard to the enlargement issue and extend an invitation to FYROM as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been reached within the framework of the United Nations.
Also, there have been two resolutions, one in House of Representatives (H.R. 4243) and one in the US Senate (S.R. 2177) , introduced in March 2012. These two resolutions are calling for the United States to overturn stated US and NATO decisions in allowing FYROM to join the NATO alliance without having to resolve the name dispute with Greece in advance. We believe that those resolutions have been the work of FYROM government lobbyists and not to the best interests of the United States or its NATO ally Greece. A similar action that has taken place is a letter sent to President Obama urging him to break from long-standing prudent US policy in the upcoming NATO conference in Chicago on May 20-21.
What has the American Hellenic Council done?
The American Hellenic Council has already taken the position of supporting H.R. 627 and opposing H.R.4243, S.R. 2177. We have also asked all the elected Representatives from California to oppose any break from existing US policy at the upcoming NATO Conference. We have communicated those positions in writing and we have also contacted the Congressmen and Congresswomen that we have relationships with to present our arguments.
What can I do?
We have created a sample letter for you to email directly from our website to your elected official. Simply click on the box below, type in your ZIP code and or full address to get the name and phone number for your U.S. Representative. A sample letter with our arguments will appear. Send it as is or modify it to include your own arguments. Click & Send! It's that simple.
So... Take Action!!
Please take two minutes today - 120 seconds - to ask your U.S. Representative to:
Please take two minutes today - 120 seconds - to ask your U.S. Representative to:
- Co-sponsor H.R. 627 in calling for FYROM to negotiate in good faith with Greece in resolving the name dispute
- Oppose H.R. 4243 and S.R. 2177 that are advocating breaking away from prudent and long-standing US policy on NATO accession conditions for FYROM