Papoulias reply to Ivanov
President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Tuesday replied to an invitation to visit the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) extended by FYROM President Georgi Ivanov on November 4, saying that he "would like to visit the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia without the hindrance of the pending name issue". "I do not wish to suggest what would be to the interest of your country. I nonetheless firmly believe you need to realistically assess the situation. A solution to the name issue will prove beneficial for the legitimate aspirations of your people. I ought to highlight that the longer it takes for a solution, the longer the accession course of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia towards the European Union will remain pending," he stressed. The Greek president also emphasised Greece's support for friendly and good neighbourly relations with all neighbouring countries, including FYROM, and expressed hope that he would have an opportunity to visit "once this difference between us is history".