NDC Research Division (virtual) meeting on “NATO Membership as an Incentive for Resolving Bilateral Disputes: the Case of the Prespa Agreement”

The Prespa Agreement was signed on 17 June 2018, resolving the decade-long dispute over the name, between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. The Agreement allowed North Macedonia to become a NATO member, thus contributing towards the stabilization of the Balkans.

Boshko Stankovsky first provided a brief overview of the dispute and the lessons learned from the process. He also explained why the Agreement is important and to what extent it can be of interest to researchers and practitioners when it comes to peace-making, negotiation and mediation. Finally, the talk outlined how the incentive of NATO membership contributed towards resolving the dispute, as well as the geopolitical factors underpinning it.