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Macedonia remains committed to Alliance membership - forum
Skopje, July 2 (MIA) - Macedonia remains fully committed to NATO membership and will continue to nurture partnership relations with the Alliance, although a precedent occurred at the Bucharest Summit for the first time in the organization's history, when a member-state abused the right to veto because of a bilateral issue, said Foreign and Defense Ministers Antonio Milososki and Lazar Elenovski respectively in their addresses at Wednesday's forum "Security in the Balkans: NATO after the Bucharest Summit".
Milososki and Elenovski claimed that the Alliance should be redefined in the decision-making system for the purpose of more efficient functioning.
"NATO is an organization with an integration strategy, although a certain member-state can block this on the short-run", stressed FM Milososki, adding the blocking potentials of a member-state are far inferior to NATO's strategic determination to integrate SEE countries.
Therefore, Republic of Macedonia will remain committed to NATO membership, good neighborly relations, continuing to provide contribution in peacekeeping missions, because, "Macedonia is a stable country, not dependant from daily internal-political events in neighboring states".
Defense Minister Elenovski emphasized that Macedonia has nothing to change in its policy towards NATO.
"Macedonia, but also Georgia and Ukraine events at the Bucharest Summit show that the Alliance should continue to transform, before all in the political sector. The principle of general consensus is obviously an increasing burden", said Elenovski, adding that the Bucharest Summit showed shortcomings, such as the abuse of veto by a member-state.
Deputy-U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia, Thomas Navratil said NATO has done a lot in order to prepare itself for the 21st century challenges.
Pertaining to the Balkans' security after the Bucharest Summit, Navratil stated that NATO's enlargement with Albania, Croatia and Macedonia is of crucial significance.
He reiterated the U.S. disappointment from the fact that NATO did not extend a membership invitation to Macedonia, reiterating President Bush's message that the country must assume its rightful place in the Alliance.
"Being a NATO member-state, we are friends with both Macedonia and Greece. We encourage them in finding a reasonable solution, thus opening the path for the invitation. We encourage all NATO member-states not to wait for a solution, but actively engage, taking into account NATO's interest for the issue resolution", stated Navratil.
The forum also included the participation of former Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule, Deputy-Head of the Military Cooperation Department within the Serbian Defense Ministry Ljubomir Nikolic, German and Slovenian military attaches to Macedonia, Heinrich Walter Kindinger and Janez Butara respectively, as well as former Macedonian ambassador to NATO, Nano Ruzin.
First issue of political magazine "Political Thought" was also promoted at the forum, organized by Foundation Konrad Adenauer and Institute for Democracy "Societas Civilis".
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