MENENDEZ/SNOWE: Macedonian quandary

This demonstrates the power of the greek lobby in the US. TITO did not "create" a Macedonian province. It was the desire of the people to have their own homeland. In 1919 there were articles in the New York Post refering to the Macedonian inhabitants in present day Republic of Macedonia. History of the Balkans is so skewed towards the greeks it distorts actual events, while creating the existance of others. EG: Alexander the Great could not have said he is going into battle for the "glory of greece" as greece did not exist. It is a "created" comment by the greek propaganda machine. I give you this as a final thought. If Macedonia changes it's name to "Northern Macedonia" or similar, wouldn't that show that a "Southern" one exists? Wouldn't there be a desire for reunification at somepoint in the future? EG East and West Germany, North and South Korea.

Who are, Bob Menendez and Olympia Snowe? They might as well change their names to Menedesos and Snowios. This sounds like the Greek propaganda that I was taught in the Greeks schools in ""Greek Macedonia". And you are talking about nationalistic teachings in the Macedonian Republic's schools. I could write a book about the nationalistic propaganda that we were taught in the Greek schools. Please Mr. Bob Menendez and Olympia J. Snowe, give your heads a good shake, and if you ever wake up from the Greek propaganda spell read the Book; "On Macedonian Matters" by Krste Misirkov published before the division of Macedonia. It is worth mentioning that the above author was born in the Aegean part of Macedonia, now northern Greece. Mr. Misirkov was talking about an independent Macedonia then. So don't blame Tito for it. This is what Macedonians wanted long before Tito was born. Tito had the balls to do it. Thanks. S.D.

Hi Bob ... My question is. If you know so much about this situation. Can you please explain why greece wanted nothing to do with the word macedonia prior to 1989. 2 years before Macedonia became a republic. Then in 1989 greece started to use the word macedonia, knowing but the real macedonia was going to become a republic. Greece completly stole our history and our land AEGEAN MACEDONIA . This is started when greece bulguria and serbia broke up and stole land from macedonia in word war 1. Burcharest treaty 1912-13 .. Read up on this and get your facts straight. Have a read up on enthic cleansing that has been happening in Northern Greece ( their so Called Macedonia). And believe I know Real macedonian's that lived in Northern Greece. They had to change their names to GREEK names and had to speak greek otherwise the Greek police and government would do harmful things. Please get the Facts straight There is always 2 sides to the story ... Just because the greeks have done the best to teach the rest of the world about their history, doersnt mean their history is what they say it is. Take 1 stupid example... They claim the greek salad is their own because it has olives and fetta cheese in it. Sorry its not a greek salad. They didnt invent it .. All countries in the Balkan region make their salads like that. It just greece has marketed it out to the whole world. Very Sad the world has turned out like this. Feel free to Write back to me explain your Facts.

Olympia Snowe is a greek-american.. That should explain how greek politics have ended up in the american senate.

Reading the comments below, i can now understand what the Senators are talking about. Already i have read things like Northern Macedonia reuniting with Northern Greece. Greek salad and Alexander arent really Greek (really, who cares?). Greece did not exist, it was created by a propaganda machine...what does that even mean? These comments below sound ridiculous to me. What i can tell from the people commenting below is that they believe Northern Greece is really theirs--this is clear to me. How can their be peace when the people of one country claim the land of the people of another? This is a dispute waiting to irrupt and i believe the Senators in this Op-ed are trying to prevent a future crisis in the Balkans from irrupting. Well done Senators on a well-spoken article.

While it is understandable that Snowe, of Greek origin, would be swayed by the ridiculous political culture in Athens, it's surprising that Mr. Menendez would follow the lead of Athens' discriminatory anti-Macedonian agenda. Macedonians have existed for more than 2,500 years. Contemporary Macedonians are the majority population in the Republic of Macedonia. Greece's fanatical lobby wants Macedonia's name changed because Greece is hiding a dark secret; hundreds of thousands of ethnic Macedonians live in Greece today, with zero human and ethnic rights. UN Representative Gay McDougall visited Greece recently to see for herself the discriminatory practices of Athens firsthand. Macedonia and America are great allies in the war against terror. Sadly, Snowe and her cronies..who have no clue where Macedonia is on a map have fallen for the vicious lies and rhetoric coming out of Athens.

Kyonite - Do you even know what you are talking about ? Do you even know the history ? What you dont understand is, that all of these issues are trying to be swept under the rug. The truth should be told. The whole world needs to see how greece is trying to destory macedonia and claim it their own.

Kyonite, where do you see a claim that "Northern" Macedonia will unite with greek Macedonia? You have taken what I said out of context. And this is the crux of the greek arguement, a small nation of 2million possibly threating territorial expansion! I'll repeat for your benefit: By naming something "Northern", that's insinuating that there is a "Southern" version as well. This could, in future, cause a desire to unite them. I would not like the idea of conflict, but this could help cause it. And secondly, Alexander was Macedonian, not greek. The populations of both greece and Macedonia are no where near the same ethnically as they were 2500yrs ago. No modern Macedonian or Greek can claim direct decendancy with the ancient population. There have been too many invaders, conquerers and migrations for this to be possible. What our (as in Balkans) problem is, that we depend on history (or thereStory) to confirm or deny a persons identity. It is truely pathetic. Whatever the outcome of the name negotiations is will not stop me from saying I am Macedonian. Where they decide on northern, upper, new or whatever. I will always proudly proclaim that I am Macedonian.

Well said PlanetEarth

PlanetEarth weak up! Firstly, the Northen Macedonia is accepted. Its geographic orientation. Secondly, in the past there was no Macedonia AND Greece. Greece was a result of the later UNION of the cities-countries that existed, on the basis of a common identity that was formed, a common language (with many dialects), philosophy, religion, united defense against enemies (Perses) and other factors that formed this common identity.. THAT IS WHY MACEDONIA IS PART OF GREECE! LOOK at the truth RealMaso. U get exploited by your MODERN politicians that want to create a new identity, with a great history to be proud of, to make their country bigger and stronger .. Find other nations to take advantage of!!

Dear RealMaso! There are numerous documents, which prove that Greece was using Macedonia name prior to 1989. For example Greek encyclopedias of 1947 (Helios, 19th Dec 1947) and, of course in the tourist guides of International Fair Trade, starting from 1955. So, your 1988 claim is no more my friend. I will gladly provide you links of these if you like.

I believe that through the course of these decade long negotiations we have lost our objectivity as people and citizens of this free world. One smart man once said that the Balkans produce more history than they consume and he was right. The so-called bilateral name problem between Macedonia and Greece has been concentrating on historical and issues which in my opinion do not contribute to the resolution of the problem. What is taking place here is goes against every principal of democratic societies. The very nation, identity and country of Macedonia is being disputed. What would take place in the EU or the US if someone tries to dispute the right of their citizens to call them selves Americans, Germans, French, Italian or Greek? The basic freedom of self proclamation, choice of any person on this planet is being broken. This is human rights people! The UN Declaration of Human Rights Say: Article 15. (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality. Has this world gone so mad, hypocritical and corrupt that the very cradle of democracy Greece, and the union of the old continent have forgotten the principals of democracy? I guess that the US democracy as one of the younger democracies has not forgotten to value human rights, i thank God for that. We need to stop and think about what is happening because it may be here, today and now in Macedonia but it could be at the doorstep to your country tomorrow.

Principals of democracy? Have you read the article? You forgot the maps of “united Macedonia” or the education system that makes children to believe that in some km south there is some occupied land? So, what if the French start teaching their children that Spain or Germany is an occupied land and that it has to be freed someday? All these start with the name. Macedonia, Alexander and Philip are words with no meaning in their Slavic language. But they claim it as their own! Next is land. That’s the way it goes. That’s why Greece should not abandon the name issue.

GREECE HAS HISTORICAL RIGHTS IN THE NAME "MAKEDONIA" GREECE says that Ancient Makedonia was a ancient Greek kingdom like Sparta and Athens. The people of FYROM are SLAVS so they do not have a right to use the single name "Makedonia" as a exclusive just for themselves and try to play with history... Also HENRY KISSINGER is with the Greek side in this !! Follow the link below and read: http://www.macedoniaontheweb.com/forum/free-speech-macedonia-forum/8388-greece-has-historical-rights-macedonia-h-kissinger.html

"Greece is hiding a dark secret; hundreds of thousands of ethnic Macedonians live in Greece today, with zero human and ethnic rights." You have to update your communist style propaganda obviously. "Macedonia and America are great allies in the war against terror. " Yes, a new friend came in town.. Reminder: Greece and US have fought as allies for decades... even in Korea.