VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #1496 3280925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADDF625F MSI3596-695)
R 240925Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5882
INFO RUCNMUC/EU CANDIDATE STATES
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 0204
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0896
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS BERLIN 001496 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC PREL EUN NATO GR MK GM
SUBJECT: GERMANY TO TAKE BACK SEAT IN ONGOING MACEDONIA 
NAME DISPUTE 
 
REF: 117721 
 
¶1. (SBU) MFA Deputy Director for the Balkans Marc Bogdahn 
told poloff on November 18 in response to reftel points that 
while Germany supports UN negotiator Nimetz's efforts to 
resolve Macedonia's name dispute with Greece, Germany had no 
plans to actively lobby the parties.  Bogdahn was downbeat 
about prospects that the European Council could set a date to 
begin Macedonia's EU accession negotiations during its 
December 10 meeting.  Bogdahn believed that Greece would 
still 
actively oppose any such decision until the name issue was 
resolved, making it impossible to move forward within the 
Council. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Drawing on reftel,Poloff expressed USG support for 
Macedonia's EU aspirations and praised Macedonian progress as 
noted in the European Commission report.  Bogdahn said 
Germany shared our views; however, he emphasized that the 
name 
dispute was a bilateral issue between Macedonia and Greece in 
which Germany did not want to become overly involved. 
MURPHY