Former German Ambassador to Macedonia, Hans Lottar Stepan in an interview with Mia, Mina, A1, says Macedonia should not under any circumstances yield to Greece.

He also calls Macedonia a “victim of Europe’s 20th century conspiracies”.

- Your Excellency, for your book “The Macedonian knot”, you have received numerous awards. Most recently the “Krste Petkov Misirkov” award, but also award form Macedonian Academy of Sciences. How much these awards mean to you, as a satisfaction for your 15 years of research on Macedonia.

I became a spiritual warrior for Macedonia. I have received awards from the County of Kisela Voda, from MANU, and the latest from the Ramkovski Foundation. It’s an honor for me to receive any, and all of them, I am very happy.

- Arguments you have put forward in your book, “The Macedonian knot” have helped many people here and abroad to learn about Macedonia, its history.

I am convinced that if any politician wishes to understand today’s political conflict between Macedonia and Greece, must look deep into the history. This history proved what I believed, for example, Greece prior to 1913 had never had Aegean Macedonia in its possession. Not in Antic, not in Roman, not during Ottoman, not at any point of time did Greece had anything to do with Macedonia.
Only after an outrageous breach of international law in 1912-1913 during the Balkan Wars, together with Bulgaria and Serbia & Montenegro. They all occupied and took Macedonia, Thrace, and Epir.
The main basis here is, Greece has illegally stolen Macedonian territory, which is against international law.
This historical connection is independent from the right of Macedonia to self determination. Everyone on earth has the right to self determination, so does Macedonia, and no one can change this.

-Your public speaking on Macedonia, as well as your positions in your book are somewhat different from Official German Politics.

When I returned home, after I had spent three years as a German Ambassador to Macedonia, I had few speeches in Germany, regarding Macedonia, the Balkans, Southern Europe, Yugoslavia etc. I began to understand I am missing information on the origins, on the identities of the Balkan peoples. I spent several months in Bonn, looking at the vast Archives of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then spent several months in Berlin.
It is then and there that I realized what Macedonia’s neighboring countries are asking from you is completely unjustified and quite simply ridiculous.

- You had sent letters to members of the European Union, NATO, to Scheffer and Barroso. Can we expect that a German diplomat not receive a response from EU and NATO?

The EU and NATO are aware that Greece is very ’skillful’. The EU and NATO are completely aware that Greece is lying to them and to Macedonia and are even more aware that they should put a stop to it.
All this is coming from a country, that calls itself a “cradle of democracy”. Greece must have responsibility for truth and justice.
The European Commission also saw through Greece’s lies. If they continue to show their fake solidarity to Greece, then we are talking about bigger interests behind the curtains. I believe the background is the Balkan Wars and the relations between the Balkan League and the Entente*.

Editor Notes:
* The Entente is a French word for a diplomatic “Understanding”. The ‘entente’ was struck in 1904, by the two founding members: France, UK to expand their influence and governing of other countries. This entente is responsible for France's and UK colonies in Africa, Europe, Asia.

The “Entente” existed since the early 1800’s however was put in writing much later.

UK, France and Russia decided to expend their influence at the expense of the Turks. Both countries contemplated, and decided it was better to have a country called “Greece” than the Ottoman continuing dominance in Southern Europe. The Russians agreed.

Since 1829, the French, UK and Russian Army battled the Ottomans with great losses on both sides.

In 1832 the Ottomans gave up, hence the creation of Greece commenced.  

The first ruler of the new country hand picked by UK and France was Prince Otto of Bavaria. It was the German prince who thought of introducing the “Latin” but later decided to introduce the long lost “Koine” language to a Turkish, Albanian speaking population. The “Koine” language today is known as “Greek”.

Macedonia remained under Ottoman rule, even though in 1903 the Macedonians became the first people on the Balkans to defeat the Ottomans without outside help.
The UK and France decided not to help Macedonia even though the people there were holding off a 400,000 Ottoman Army for 10 days. The Macedonians were considered not subservient and extremely difficult to rule, in comparison to the Greeks.

In 1912-1913, the UK and France expanded their influence in the Balkans through Greece by occupying parts of Macedonia. UK and France viewed this as their territory, not as Greek.

In 1944-45, the Greek Army (DAG) promised the Macedonians a “self governing” Aegean Macedonia if they would join their war to overthrow French and UK ownership of Greece.
Ethnic Macedonians , around 80,000 of them entered the DAG. The UK and French ruled 'Greek Army' suffered major losses. Reinforcements of about 250,000 British and French soldiers were brought in, under the excuse “The Communist are coming” in reference to the Macedonians and DAG.

What DAG and the Macedonians tried to do is overthrow the foreign French and British rulers. Eventually, the DAG gave up and fled, were not helped nor equipped by anyone and could not sustain fighting for a long time against the constant fresh reinforcements of British and French soldiers.
Today, UK has still major influence and control over Greece, and Greek politics, even though officially are out of it. Officially, the UK is also "out of" South Africa.

Interestingly enough, France has also asserted its influence in Greece after a brief hiatus. 

Macedonia is negotiating with UK and France, not with Greece. Greece doesn't have control of Greece since 1832. The Macedonian leadership may have realized this, which is perhaps why they are still 'negotiating' with "Greece". Macedonia has said "No" to UK and France before, can do it again.