马其顿总理佐兰·扎埃夫（Zoran Zaev）星期三针对解决与邻国希腊的“马其顿”名称争端采取重大行动。他说，马其顿首都斯科普里亚历山大大帝机场将改名。
亚历山大大帝是古希腊国王，曾统治过希腊北部一个也叫马其顿的地方。其它国家使用亚历山大大帝名称令很多希腊人不满。
马其顿自从1991年从南斯拉夫独立以来，一直与希腊在谁有权使用“马其顿”这个名称发生争执。
很多希腊人说，允许邻国使用马其顿这个名称是对希腊历史的亵渎，并暗含对希腊领土的叵测之心。
由于名称之争，在希腊的反对下，马其顿一直不能加入欧盟和北约。
联合国20多年来一直努力通过谈判解决这两个国家的纠纷。负责谈判的联合国官员尼梅茨上星期说，很有希望近期看到问题得到解决。
在联合国，马其顿的正式国名是“前南斯拉夫马其顿共和国”。
Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev took a big step Wednesday in resolving the long dispute with neighboring Greece over the name Macedonia. Zaev said his country is changing the name of the capital’s Skopje Alexander the Great Airport.
Alexander the Great was the ancient Greek king who ruled the northern Greek territory also named Macedonia. Another country using his name is a major irritant for many Greeks.
Greece and Macedonia have been feuding over who gets to use the name since Macedonia became independent from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Many Greeks say allowing the neighboring country to use the name insults Greek history and implies a claim on Greek territory.
Greece has blocked Macedonian efforts to join the European Union and NATO because of the name dispute.
The United Nations has been struggling to negotiate a settlement for more than 20 years. Lead negotiator Matthew Nimetz said last week he is “very hopeful” a settlement is near.
The country of Macedonia is officially known at the U.N. as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.