SKOPJE, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia and Greece representatives will meet in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 11-12 to start talks on the name issue and discuss ways to solve this pending issue, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told reporters Friday.
The talks were initially set for end-November. UN envoy Matthew Nimetz, however, decided to reschedule the meeting with two countries' representatives for next month.
Macedonia is the name of a northern province in Greece and Athens is worried that the use of the same name by the neighboring state could lead to territorial claims.
Both Macedonia and Greece have voiced their will and commitment to engage in talks and find a solution. The Macedonian government expressed confidence that the talks on name issue, mediated by Nimetz, would produce a way out to the long-standing name dispute.
Zaev told reporters late Thursday, after meeting the visiting Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris, that time had come for Macedonia and Greece to find a solution to the name contest.
Zaev also expressed confidence that the solution on this issue would be achieved within a year.
Efforts for a solution have intensified in recent months with the Macedonian government declaring it is to build good neighborly relations and solve issues that hamper its European Union integration.
European Union (EU) ambassador to Skopje Samuel Zbogar told reporters here on Friday that the EU was optimistic over Macedonian government's efforts regarding the name issue.
"We share optimism that in general things are going well; reforms that we are expecting to see in the country are being implemented and we encourage the government to continue," Zbogar told reporters.
