Dear editor,

I have noted with great interest a campaign being run by the Pan-Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria that you have reported in Neos Kosmos over the last month or so in relation to the FRYOM naming dispute.

I have received two pieces of correspondence from the Pan-Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria, the first being a letter dated 29 March 2016 signed by the president Mr Jasonides and titled ‘Statement of Official stance on FYROM naming dispute’, where it was requested I outline my position on the naming dispute.

Further I received an email from Ms Athena Presias, public relations officer of the Pan-Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria following up the letter of the 29 March, seeking a response by the 15 May 2016 and stating the organisation’s intention to inform the Greek Australian community of the position each MP of Greek descent has on the issue.

Given that this is the first and only time I have received correspondence from this organisation, I find it more appropriate to write to you so you can publish my views directly to the Greek community of Australia.

My personal view is that in a historical context, the term ‘Macedonia’ refers to the kingdom and culture of the ancient Macedonians, who belongs to the Hellenic nation and are unquestionably part of Greek historical and cultural heritage, while geographically it refers to a wider region.

I, like many others of Greek descent, recognise the importance of the naming issue to the Greek community not only in South Australia but throughout Australia.

Throughout my entire political career stemming from 1997, I have advocated passionately not only in relation to the naming issue but on all issues of importance to the Greek community.

In 2010 the Liberal Party attacked the former premier of South Australia, the Hon. Mike Rann MP, for speaking out in regards to the Macedonian issue. Let me be clear that our criticism was then towards a government acting unjustly and never against a people, race or faith. I have attached for your benefit and your readers the correspondence I sent to my constituents in support of the former premier.

Since 1993, following a recommendation from the Security Council, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was accepted, by decision of the General Assembly, into the United Nations under the provisional name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, until such time as an agreed solution is reached to the naming dispute between the Hellenic Republic and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

I truly believe that each nation must exhaust every possibility of reaching a compromise position in relation to the naming dispute and negotiate in good faith while doing so.

Until a mutually agreeable resolution is reached, then the provisional name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia must be used at all times.

I would also like to take this opportunity [to] remind your readers that I have fought for the unification of Cyprus and to end the illegal occupation of Cyprus.

The South Australian Labor government was the first government in the world outside Cyprus to take legal action against the Turkish authorities for the illegal dispossession of properties owned by the South Australian Cypriots.

Further in 2009 the South Australian parliament recognised unanimously the genocide of the Armenians, Pontian Greeks, Syrian Orthodox, Assyrian and other Christian minorities.

It was the first recognition by any state or federal parliament in Australia and the resolution was proposed by the then Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Multicultural Affairs and Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon. Michael Atkinson MP.

Recently, I supported South Australia’s Foundation for Hellenic Studies campaign to return the Parthenon Sculptures. Just as Australians have fought to have Indigenous artefacts returned to Australia because of their value to our Indigenous culture, the same should happen in Europe. The marbles have been stolen from the people of Greece and should be returned.

In almost 20 years of political life, I have found the majority of Hellenic members of parliament, regardless of their political persuasion, united in their support for the Greek community on these issues. Mr Jasonides would be better advised to work co-operatively with us on such issues.

I would like to reassure your readers that as I have done in the past, I will continue to advocate on behalf of Greek Australians on issues that affect the diaspora.

Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP
Member for West Torrens
12 May 2016