A meeting of Macedonian, Greek Prime Ministers - Nikola Gruevski and George Papandreou respectively - kicked off Friday afternoon in Pyli - Greek part of Prespes region, focused on  the name issue and expectations from the EU December summit that should decide on opening of Macedonia's EU accession talks, media reported.

Gruevski and Papandreou are meeting at sidelines of the trilateral Albania-Greece-Macedonia conference on climate change.

In light of the meeting, both Skopje and Athens have no great expectations for settling of the name row.

Gruevski said Wednesday he expected no name settlement to be reached at the meeting with Greek counterpart Papandreou in Prespes, however he believes the meeting will give "positive impulse".

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said the Papandreou-Gruevski meeting was neither replacing nor harming the process underway at the United Nations for finding a solution.

International representatives have voiced greater optimism in light of the EU Council meeting on December 7, suggesting direct talks between the two parties, in order to put an end to the 18-year-long row.