More than half of Greeks surveyed believe that if Macedonia insists on retaining its name, Greece should veto its bid to join NATO and the European Union, a published opinion poll said Saturday, reported ap. The survey, conducted by Metron Analysis, an Athens-based polling organization, and published in the mass-circulation newspaper «Eleftheros Typos,» showed 58.3 percent of respondents urged the veto. They were reported as saying the word Macedonia should not be used at all in the name of Greece's small northern neighbor. Greece has opposed Macedonia's calling itself by this name since the early 1990s, saying it implies territorial designs on the northern Greek province of the same name. The survey showed 30.2 percent of respondents favored a compromise with Macedonia over the name issue, and 6.3 percent in favor of Macedonia keeping its name. Last week, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis threatened to wield the veto in April when Macedonia's bid to join NATO comes up for consideration at a planned alliance summit in Bucharest.
