Athens  - A UN special envoy expressed cautious optimism Wednesday that a solution to the 18-year-old name row between Greece and neighbouring Macedonia was finally on the cards.

Greece and its northern neighbour have been in a dispute over the right to the name of "Macedonia" since 1991, when Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia.

Greece has a northern province also called Macedonia.

"I am more confident than ever before that a solution is closer - but I do not believe in deadlines," UN special envoy Matthew Nimitz told reporters after the talks with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni.

Nimitz did not provide details of the proposals but said he had made some changes to the most recent plan, from last October, asking the government in Skopje to "consider this package as a whole with these changes and this is something that we discussed in a very detailed manner."

The October proposal has never officially been made public but Greek media reports has said "The Republic of Northern Macedonia" was one of the suggested names and still remained on the table.

Athens claims the name dispute implies territorial claims on its own northern province of Macedonia, where Alexander the Great was born.

It has called on Skopje to adopt a name such as "New" or "Upper Macedonia," but no mutually acceptable solution has been found.

Skopje prefers the name Republic of Macedonia. The United Nations formally refers to the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or FYROM.

The row has stalled Skopje's bid to join NATO. Macedonia had hoped to receive an invitation to join the alliance earlier this year along with Albania and Croatia, but Greece blocked the move.(dpa)