17/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the president in office of the Council Carl Bildt made a fresh call to leaders of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Greece to show “political will” and settle their dispute over the use of the name “Macedonia” as quickly as possible. Since the European Commission recommended in a report published in October, that accession negotiations be opened with FYROM, the dispute with Greece over the name represents the final major hurdle to the launch of talks with Skopje. Athens is determined to block such a move by the European Council where unanimity is required for negotiations to be allowed to begin. “There is a window of opportunity now to solve this issue. I appeal to both sides to use it now,” said Bildt after the External relations Council on 17 November. He ruled out the possibility of the EU's playing the role of mediator, noting that it was a “bilateral problem”. (H.B./transl.rt)