ATHENS - Greece's foreign ministry on Thursday criticised Skopje for demonstrating "rhetorical intransigence" in the ongoing dispute over the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, but said that it was still seeking a mutually acceptable solution on the issue.
Greek foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos on Thursday accused the government in Skopje of being "mired in its convictions", criticising the Macedonian side for a stance that "prevents the creation of an environment conducive to (good) bilateral relations."
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis raised the issue during a recent visit to the United States, Koumoutsakos said.
In talks with Matthew Nimetz, the United Nations' special envoy on the Macedonian issue, Valinakis insisted that "Greece seeks a mutually acceptable solution to the name problem."
According to Koumoutsakos, he also presented White House and State Department officials with Greece's "constructive views on the Skopje name issue."
Following its recognition of FYROM as "Macedonia" in November, the United States is pressuring Greece for a swift resolution to the issue, Greek press reports said.
Greece denies its northern neighbour the right to use the name "Macedonia", arguing that the term is an integral part of Greek geography and heritage.
The northern Greek region of Macedonia lies on the southern border of the tiny state, which has seen Athens block its international recognition since 1991.
Bilateral talks on the issue, carried out under UN auspices since 1993, have made little progress.
03/17/2005 16:52 GMT