ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The prime ministers of Greece and Macedonia have spoken on the phone to discuss progress in resolving a 27-year dispute over Macedonia's name, which has poisoned bilateral relations and hindered NATO expansion.

The office of Greece's Alexis Tsipras says his talk Monday with Zoran Zaev was conducted "in a good atmosphere," and will be repeated Tuesday.

Monday's phone call had been postponed previously in a sign that the two countries were not ready yet for a compromise.

Ever since Macedonia gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, Greece has objected to its name, arguing that it implies claims on its own adjacent province of Macedonia. Macedonia denies that.

A new drive to settle the issue was launched this year.