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Greece is defeating its own purposes

Nikos commented on my previous post urging Athens to export stability:

An article from 2.150 A.D.:  “Northern Mexico wants to join NATO with the name Virginia. We must hear those peoples voice because they have the right for self-determination. Recognizing them by this name means also that every Virginian that lived there the last thousand years is only Virginian and they never have been Americans there. Including the eight Presidents that born there and any other historical figure that Americans demand as their own. Virginians are no Americans and the opposite. And ancient Virginians were no Americans also. The history of Virginia is the history of the Former Mexican Republic of Virginia. And some day Virginians (Mexicans) will have the historical right to take Virginia state into their territory because it is their right.”

This is a little example which can make Americans see the problem with the Greek view. I chose this example because this page is American. With the use of our imagination we can think other examples with other American states or other countries. But still it will be a minor example because Macedonia (Greek, Ancient) is many more for the Greeks of what is any American state for Americans. I’ve tried to be brief here. Dozens of books have been written which they cannot fit in a comment.

Let me assure you, Nikos, that your example rings hollow to American ears:  we would take it more as a risible compliment than anything else.  Only those terribly insecure in their own identity and uncertain of their capacity to defend their own territory would object.  If this Virginia were ready to contribute seriously to NATO defense capabilities, it would be welcomed with open arms.

As for the supposed territorial ambitions of your neighbors, I’ve yet to find a FYROMer who thinks one inch of Greece will ever become part of their territory.  There are surely more Mexicans who would like to recover parts of Texas, New Mexico and California than FYROMers who want a piece of Greece.  Moreover, the best guarantee that it will never happen is of course NATO membership, which requires that all such problems be resolved.

Greece has nevertheless done what its political leadership thought best at the NATO Summit and blocked any consideration of The FYROM’s membership. This is not only a clear violation of the International Court of Justice decision but it also increases ethnic tension in Macedonia and puts at risk of partition Kosovo and Bosnia as well as Cyprus. Should I mention that everyone in the world except Greece calls the country whose capital is Skopje “Macedonia”?  It’s a habit that neither its inhabitants nor the rest of the world will give up easily, especially if the practice continues for another decade or two.

Some day there will no doubt be a political leader in Greece who recognizes how counter-productive Athens’ resistance to The FYROM becoming a member of NATO is, but it is not clear that either Skopje or anyone else will see any reason to accommodate.  The sooner Greece comes to recognize that it is defeating its own purposes, the less damaged those purposes will be.