SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who pays an official visit to Macedonia, held on Tuesday in Skopje meetings with Macedonian state officials. Cavusoglu was welcomed by his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov, with whom he discussed the bilateral relations between Macedonia and Turkey. “We are allies, ever since our country proclaimed independence back in 1991. We are very glad that our friend Turkey supports the integration of North Macedonia in NATO with the ratification of the Protocol for Accession of Macedonia in the Alliance,” Dimitrov told Cavusoglu. Answering journalists’ questions related to Turkey’s positions on FETO-managed organisations in Macedonia, Dimitrov said that there is political will on behalf of Macedonia to help Turkey, but that they have to stick to the national and international legal systems. The Turkish FM also held a meeting with the Vice-PM for European Affairs Bujar Osmani, with whom he discussed the cooperation between their respective countries in terms of the integration in NATO and the EU. “The traditionally lose relations between our countries are clear example of a good and functional strategic partnership. Turkey supports the integration of North Macedonia in NATO and EU and we are very grateful for that,” Osmani said. Later on Tuesday, Cavusoglu had a meeting with the PM of Macedonia Zoran Zaev. Both of them reiterated the mutual support Macedonia and Turkey provide to each other in different processes, with Zaev confirming the invitation to the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit Macedonia, issued by President of Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski. “We are focused on fulfilling all integration processes, but we are also working on the economic development, and Turkey is a great friend and partner of North Macedonia, in both political and economic field,” Zaev told Cavusoglu.
