US Diplomat Palmer: EU Accession Process Should Depend on Reforms

Matthew Palmer, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, says for Voice of America that the EU accession process should depend on reforms, while bilateral issues should be being resolved bilaterally. According to him, Macedonia has made enough reforms to hold the first intergovernmental conference. As Palmer adds, the dispute with Bulgaria should be being resolved outside the accession process. The US diplomat points out that Skopje has done enough to qualify for the conference, something about which the majority of EU members are clear. The US will continue to work with its European partners in order for that to be achieved, do everything it can to get the ground ready, and continue to publicly demonstrate its strong support for movement forward of Skopje towards EU membership.