Ask a Greek what he thinks about the flare-up of ethnic violence in Macedonia, his country's northern neighbour, and the chances are he will say: "We told you so." The fiercest European opponents of NATO's bombing of Kosovo are watching in horror as Balkan turmoil approaches ever closer to their own border.
Fears in Athens that the West, particularly the US, does not understand the Balkans and that supporting ethnic Albanians against Serbia in the 1999 war would only aggravate the problem appear to be confirmed daily by fighting around Tetovo.
"Unfortunately, our concerns and our positions . . . are being justified", the Prime Minister, Mr Costas Simitis, said last week as Macedonian troops fought ethnic Albanian guerrillas only a couple of hours' drive north of the Greek frontier.
Greece officially supported its NATO allies during the Kosovo war, despite vehement public opposition. But it argued strenuously against the bombing and insisted that separatists should not be encouraged to dream of border changes.
Officials say that, as predicted, the wrong message was given - that violence would bring Western intervention and effectively assist guerrillas to reach their goals.
"We responded as an alliance, in a sense legitimising the violence of the KLA [Kosovo Liberation Army]", the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou, said. "Now they feel they have a carte blanche. Whatever happens we cannot give in to this tactic."
Greece, which sees itself as the EU's natural political and commercial leader in the Balkans, is now repeating the Kosovo chant with Macedonia, albeit this time closer in tune with its allies. It has pledged political support to the government in Skopje and has embarked on a round of talks with its EU and NATO allies on the crisis.
There have also been undefined offers of assistance for its poor neighbour. A meeting may take place next week between the Greek, Macedonian and Albanian Foreign Ministers.