Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help resolve the dispute over the name of Macedonia; and if he will make a statement.

This a bilateral issue between Greece and Macedonia. The UK continues to urge both sides to engage constructively to find a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue as soon as possible. Ahead of the General Affairs Council in December, the UK’s position remains that we do not believe the name issue should be a block to beginning discussions with Macedonia over the negotiating framework for EU accession talks.