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INFO
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NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS TO
MEET IN BRUSSELS
Foreign ministers from NATO member countries will meet on Thursday for
discussions over enlargement.
The foreign ministers' meeting takes place three weeks before a summit of
the alliance in Bucharest, Romania, at which NATO heads of state and
government have to make final decisions on enlargement with Macedonia,
Croatia and Albania.
Croatia is widely tipped to get invitation at the Bucharest summit while
Macedonia's success would obviously depend on results of discussions with
Greece in the run-up to the summit. There was speculation that Albania may
also have to wait if Macedonia's bid is blocked.
The NATO foreign ministers will look at the wider region of Western Balkans
and discuss closer links with Bosnia and Montenegro, which, together with
Serbia, were allowed to join the alliance's Partnership for Peace program in
November 2006.
They are also expected to consider ways of engaging Serbia, which is angered
by Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from it.
The NATO foreign ministers are also expected to discuss Georgia and
Ukraine's aspirations to move even closer to the alliance. Both countries
have wished to join NATO's Membership Action Plan, the last step toward NATO
membership.
The meeting will also tackle Afghanistan and ways for improved harmonization
of military activities of NATO forces and civil efforts for the country's
reconstruction.
MEDIA CAMPAIGN FOR
PROMOTION
OF MACEDONIA'S NATO ACCESSION
On Thursday and Friday, advertisements will be published in The Financial
Times, International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, France's Le Monde,
German's Die Welt, Dutch De Telegraff and Belgian L'Echo, for promotion of
Macedonia's candidacy for NATO accession, in the framework of campaign
"Macedonia Deserves NATO".
Part of the campaign will also point out that the country's constitutional
name - the Republic of Macedonia, which is a subject of dispute with Greece,
does not present a problem for Macedonia's NATO membership.
The Republic of Macedonia, via its diplomatic network worldwide, is
presenting its achievements in military, democratic reforms, which
contribute to Macedonia's NATO accession. |
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NEWS
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OLLI REHN TO ANNOUNCE CRUCIAL EU
PRIORITIES FOR MACEDONIA
Euro-Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will present Thursday the priority
tasks that the country needs to meet in order to receive a date for
beginning of European Union accession talks.
The European Commission announced Wednesday the eight tasks within the EU
Strategy for Western Balkans.
The criteria cover the commitments undertaken under the Stabilization and
Association Agreement, dialogue between political parties, implementation of
the law on police and anti-corruption legislation, reform of the judiciary
and public administration, as well as measures in employment policy and for
enhancing the business climate.
The Plan points out that Macedonia's reform pace has been slow for the last
two years, saying that there are signs now of reforms gaining momentum.
In the conclusions, the Commission says that with sufficient political
determination and sustainable efforts, the necessary progress in 2008 can be
achieved. The European Commission will include the recommendation on whether
to start the negotiations with Macedonia in the Progress Report, due in
autumn.
The document says that the good neighborly relations and finding mutually
acceptable solutions on the unresolved issues, remain essential, as pointed
out in the EU Council of Minsters' conclusions of last December.
An unsettled Skopje-Athens name dispute, despite of being a bilateral one,
may have unfavorable consequences for Macedonia's EU membership talks,
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said after the EC meeting in Brussels.
Enlargement decisions are being made under the consensus of all EU member
states, added Rehn. |
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