Macedonian President and PM react to Greek veto

(3 Apr 2008) SHOTLIST

AP Television
1. Tilt down of NATO and Romanian flags
2. Wide of Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski arriving
3. SOUNDBITE: (Macedonian) Branko Crvenkovski, Macedonian President:
"Today at NATO's summit in Bucharest, the worst case scenario took place: we didn't get the invitation for membership, although all member states without exception, including Greece itself, have publicly declared that our country has fulfilled all basic criteria and standards for full-fledged membership in the NATO alliance."
4. Cutaway
5. SOUNDBITE: (Macedonian) Nikola Gruevski, Macedonian Prime Minister:
"If Greece decides to use their decision to veto (our membership), it's 'heavy artillery' in diplomatic terms, and it will cost them a lot."

POOL
6. Wide of aeroplanes on tarmac
7. Wide of Macedonian convoy approaching plane to leave Romania
8. Medium of plane with writing reading (in Macedonian) "Republic of Macedonia"

STORYLINE

Macedonian officials on Thursday walked out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit in Bucharest, Romania, after NATO leaders held off on inviting the country to join.

Greek opposition meant that Macedonia was excluded from immediate membership, though NATO did agree to invite the Balkan nations of Albania and Croatia to join.

The Macedonian delegation planned to leave the summit in protest, warning their exclusion would add to instability in the Balkans.

Macedonian President, Branko Crvenkovski, described NATO's decision as a "worst case scenario".

"We didn't get the invitation for membership, although all member states without exception, including Greece itself, have publicly declared that our country has fulfilled all basic criteria and standards for full fledged membership in the NATO alliance," he said.

Greece blocked the alliance from inviting Macedonia to join NATO because of Athens' objections to the country's name.

Greece has a northern province that is also called Macedonia, and contends the former Yugoslav republic's insistence on being known as Macedonia implies a territorial claim.

Macedonian Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, told reporters the Greek veto meant "heavy artillery in diplomatic terms".

"It will cost them a lot," Gruevski added.

A senior Macedonian official, Nikola Dimitrov, said earlier that NATO's rejection of Macedonian membership would undermine stability in the Balkans.

US President George W Bush, who is pushing to expand NATO, also expressed regret over the decision.

NATO says Macedonia can join once the dispute is resolved.

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