The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, ruled on Monday that Greece, by objecting to the admission of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to NATO, has breached its obligation under Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995.
This bilateral agreement was concluded by Athens and Skopje 16 years ago.
In its judgment, which is final, without appeal and binding on both parties, the Court rejected all other submissions made by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, including Macedonia's request that the court orders Greece to refrain from similar actions in the future.
The two countries need to settle difference that has arisen over the name of Macedonia which the former Yugoslav republic assumed in 1991 after breaking off from the Yugoslav Federation. A province in northern Greece is also called Macedonia.
