SKOPJE, Macedonia (AFP)--Some 5,000 people, mostly young, protested in the Macedonian capital Wednesday against a possible change in the republic's name to solve a 15-year dispute between Skopje and Athens.

The protesters, gathered at the call of several non-government groups on the main Pela square in the capital Skopje, carried placards saying: "Macedonia is not a newborn to get a new name!"

"We give up NATO, but we will not give up Macedonia's name," another said.

Greece and Macedonia have been engaged in a 15-year long dispute over the name of this former Yugoslav republic, with Athens threatening to block Skopje's bid to join NATO and the European Union.

Macedonia wants to join the defense alliance at a NATO summit in April.

NATO foreign ministers, at a meeting in Brussels on March 6, are expected to decide whether any or all of the Balkans hopefuls - Macedonia, Albania and Croatia - will be invited in.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will travel to Athens on March 3 to discuss the disputed issue with Greek leaders.

Greece refuses to recognize the former Yugoslav republic by its chosen name because it is the same as the northern Greek province of Macedonia.

The party-like rally, attended by a number of Macedonia's prominent artists, singers and intellectuals, passed without incident. Only the Greek embassy in central Skopje was secured with strong anti-riot police units.