Thursday, 4 june 2009
THE DOOR OF NATO REMAINS OPEN FOR THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
At the Fifty Sixth Plenary Session of the European Security and Defense Assembly, the Assembly of the Western European Union that is taking part from 2 to 4 June 2009 in Paris, Mr. Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic and Mr. Jaap DE HOOP SCHEFFER, Secretary-General of NATO addressed the event. he Delegation of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, composed of Mr. Aleksandar Nikoloski, Head of the Delegation to the ESDA/AWEU and Mr. Jovan Manasijevski, Member of the Delegation take par at the Plenary Session.
Mr. Vaclav KLAUS informed about the activities of the Czech EU Presidency, underlining that in accordance with the Presidency's slogan "Europe without Borders", he is in favor of full integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU and NATO.
Mr. Jaap DE HOOP SCHEFFER spoke about the decisions taken at the last NATO Summit, the future of the NATO-EU relations and the situation in Afghanistan and responded to the questions posed by the parliamentarians. Mr. Aleksandar NIKOLOSKI asked, whether according to the opinion of the Secretary General, NATO should continue with another, 11th cycle of MAP (Membership Action Plan). Mr. Scheffer reiterated that NATO's door remains open for Macedonia. At the same time, he pledged for further intensification of the relations between NATO and Macedonia and considered that it is advisable to continue with another Membership Action Plan cycle.
Several reports, recommendations and resolutions were debated and put to the vote at the session, among which "ESDP and the future of the Western Balkans". Following the intervention of Mr. Nikoloski, the Assembly accepted two amendments proposed by him, aiming to introduce a positive note to the report that concerns Macedonia. The amendment about the differences that Greece has related to our name that should be conducted exclusively under the auspices of the United Nations and no other way, because their transfer in the framework of EU and NATO would not be in accordance with the Interim Agreement and would make a complete misbalance in favor of Greece, as also been accepted.
At the session, the Macedonian Delegation made numerous bilateral meetings with members of other delegations from the parliaments of European states.