Official Athens reacted sharply yesterday to the statement of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, who stated publicly that a Macedonian nation and Macedonian language exist. At the press conference in Washington dedicated to the NATO Summit in Bucharest, the Greek journalists asked questions concerning Macedonia's name. But they received a cold shower from the representative of the U.S. State Department.

Responding to a Greek journalist's objection to his use of the term "Macedonian language", which the journalist labeled "a so-called language", Fried commented:

"I do not think that the Macedonian language is a so-called language. The Macedonian language exists. Macedonians exist. As you know, the Macedonian language is taught at the State Department," Fried stressed.