Washington D.C., 9 May 2023 (TDI): The United States (US) Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, welcomed North Macedonia’s Prime Minister, Dimitar Kovachevski, and Foreign Minister, Bujar Osmani today to reaffirm the partnership between the two countries and to express the US strong support for North Macedonia’s EU accession and energy diversification.
During the meeting, Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Kovachevski emphasized the importance of North Macedonia’s EU accession for the country and the Western Balkan region. The Secretary applauded North Macedonia’s progress in implementing the necessary reforms and pledged continued support for its efforts to join the EU.
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After this, the US Secretary also highlighted North Macedonia’s important contributions to promoting peace and stability in the Western Balkans and support for Ukraine, particularly during its tenure as the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office.
Moreover, Foreign Minister Osmani was also commended for his leadership during this period, and the US Secretary expressed his appreciation for North Macedonia’s efforts to promote regional stability.
Moving on, Secretary Blinken noted the strong bilateral cooperation between the US and North Macedonia, highlighting the importance of further strengthening democratic institutions, rule of law reform, and energy security. He emphasized the need to combat corruption and promote media freedom and recognized the challenges that remain in these areas.
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Likewise, the State Department spokesperson, Matthew Millar, reiterated the Secretary’s remarks, emphasizing the importance of the partnership between the US and North Macedonia.
He thanked North Macedonia for its contributions to regional stability and expressed the US commitment to supporting its efforts to become a more prosperous, secure, and democratic nation.
Thus, this meeting was an opportunity for both sides to reaffirm their shared commitment to regional stability, economic prosperity, and democratic development.
In a nutshell, the US applauds North Macedonia’s progress in implementing reforms and promoting regional stability and remains committed to supporting its efforts to join the EU and become a more prosperous, secure, and democratic nation.
Eman Mudassar Tarar is a student of International Relations at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and can be reached at emantarar26@gmail.com. She is currently working as a Research intern in the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. Her areas of interest are rooted in a deep passion for global politics, international relations, ongoing transnational developments as well as a strong commitment to advancing human rights and promoting social justice on a global scale. She writes as a columnist for various media outlets. The author tweets @the_emantarar.
