ATHENS, Oct. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Greek government on Monday said that the new proposal aimed at resolving the name issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) submitted by UN Special Envoy Matthew Nimetz is one-sided.

    In a statement on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said that the new proposal effectively embraces the views of one side, a stance which does not fall within the concept of mediation."

    "Greece will continue working within the context of the UN procedure in order to find a mutually-acceptable solution, becauseit believes that only through such a solution will bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries and two peoples be reinforced," it said.

    "It is the only way that stability in the region can be supported; the only way in which progress in the neighboring country's Euro-Atlantic pursuits will be facilitated," it added.

    The ministry stressed that the Greek government will continue to exercise its right, in accordance with the bilateral agreement of 1995, to block FYROM's membership in any international organization if the latter attempts to join by using any name other than the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia."

    Athens and Skopje have long disputed over the name of Macedoniasince Greece's northern neighbor broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991.Greece even imposed a long-time economic sanction against theformer Yugoslavian republic.

    Macedonia is also the name of Greece's northern province and Athens has worried that the name could imply territorial claims against its own province and could arouse the movement of independence by some separatists.

    However, FYROM Prime Minister Vlado Buchkovski praised the new Nimetz proposal during a televised announcement, according to an ANA despatch from Skopje.

    He called the proposal a good basis for negotiations and said that his country wants to maintain good neighborly relations with Greece. Enditem