PARIS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Friday welcomed the ratification by the Greek parliament of an accord that changes the name of Macedonia, ending over two decades of dispute between Athens and Skopje.

"This essential political step will ... put an end to a bilateral dispute of more than a quarter of a century," the minister said.

"The agreement will allow the development of relations between the two countries in many areas and will strengthen the stability of the Western Balkans region and of Europe," he said in a press release.

Earlier on Friday, Greece ratified the accord reached last summer, which changes the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to the Republic of North Macedonia, paving the way for the country's accession to the European Union (EU) and NATO.

The dispute between the two neighbouring countries started in 1991, when FYROM declared independence from Yugoslavia, choosing the name Macedonia.

Greeks protested the move as a province in northern Greece has the same name, fearing that the new state may raise territorial claims in the future.