The fourth meeting between the prime ministers Nikola Gruevski and George Papandreou in Athens will be the last chance for the two countries to reach an agreement so that Macedonia may be set a date for starting EU accession talks by the end of June, experts comment.

In their view, the European leaders realize that a solution to the name issue is hardly likely to be found by the end of the Spanish Presidency and so they are looking for a way of presenting the delay of the decision of setting a date for starting accession talks that will not make it appear as a failure. Therefore, the EU insists on more frequent meetings between the two prime ministers and sees a good chance for that in the Conference on Southeast Europe that should be held on 29 April organized by the British magazine The Economist, Vreme reports.

It is not ruled out for the meetings between Gruevski and Papandreou to be also attended by a US official as a result of the reinforced pressure from official Washington for a faster resolution of the dispute.

Sources from the Macedonian Government say that they are not avoiding meetings with Greek officials, but have no great expectations. They put down their pessimism on the fact that the at the past meetings with Gruevski, twice in Brussels and once in Mala Prespa, Papandreou did not show any signs that he might change his positions that are absolutely unacceptable to Macedonia. They primarily concern the so-called identity issues which Greece insists on most in the talks with mediator Matthew Nimetz.

“The statements that the talks are conducted solely about the country’s name, which are made almost daily by Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, are intended primarily for the EU officials. They should show that Greece is the constructive party and Macedonia is the party that does not want a solution,” sources involved in the negotiating process say.