New York (ANA-MPA/ P. Panagiotou) France on Friday expressed regret over the deadlock in talks between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) regarding the name dispute. France’s permanent delegation at the United Nations made the statement after Friday’s two-hour meeting between negotiators of the two countries and the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for the name dispute Matthew Nimetz.

In its statement, France noted that this deadlock was “harmful for good neighbour relations in the region” and expressed France’s support for Nimetz’s efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution to the dispute, stressing that this must be found soon under UN auspices, through dialogue and compromise.

In statements concerning the meeting, Nimetz said that the effort to find a solution will continue and that the April document presented to the two sides “is still on the table”.

“These talks have been continuing for many, many years, nothing has been thrown away, we come back to ideas,” he added.

He noted that there were still serious differences between the two sides and that a discussion had taken place with both parties concerning the next steps but no decision had been made on what these steps will be.

Finally, he pointed out that the UN could not “unlock” doors for other organisation and bodies.

“Obviously there is interest for FYROM to progress in its relations with the EU and NATO. I would like to point out that the goal of the entire area is to join the EU and the Atlantic Alliance. I hope that at some point we will resolve the issue of the name. What NATO and the EU will do is not something that we can control or on which we are negotiating,” he said.