(ANSA) - BELGRADE - Macedonia's prime minister Zoran Zaev said he is confident that the name dispute with Greece will be settled at the next Nato summit scheduled for July. In some statements released to the Austrian public broadcaster Orf, taken from the Serbian media, Zaev said he is confident that the negotiations with Athens will continue after the last talks held in Vienna with the UN mediator Matthew Nimetz, who presented new ideas and proposals.

''The first rapproachment between Macedonia an Greece took place, and this process should continue'', said Macedonia's premier. ''We have to settle the name issue by meeting the demands of Greece but at the same time respecting our dignity'', he added, saying that the negotiations could end successfully at the July summit. ''We have the promise that once the agreement is reached with Athens, Nato member countries will automatically begin ratifying the agreement on our accession''. Athens wants the former Yugoslavian country to change its name, considering 'Macedonia' - the name of the northern Greek province with its capital city Thessaloniki - an heritage which belongs exclusively to Hellenic historical and cultural tradition. For this reason, fearing territorial claims, Greece has blocked for over 25 years Macedonia's path towards the EU and NATO, and the country was welcomed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 with the acronym Fyrom - Former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia.

(ANSA).