DiCarlo: Macedonia has achieved great progress

Macedonia has made significant progress in reforms, but should present concrete results in political dialogue, implementing the 29 May agreement setting up the Judicial Council and judicial reforms, the US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, said Tuesday after meeting Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. - Significant progress has been made in the combat against human trafficking, organized crime and corruption, law on religious communities and economy.

The World Bank and Transparency International reports are impressive and I would like for Macedonia to keep progressing in these spheres. But getting an invitation for NATO membership requires additional efforts for completing several tasks. NATO-allies need to see better cooperation and consensus between the ruling and opposition parties, and progress in some areas, first and foremost in implementing the May 29 agreement, setting up the Judicial Council and judicial reforms. The time is short but sufficient if there is a political will for completing the reforms, DiCaprio said.

Gruevski emphasized Macedonia's progress in the economic sector, mentioning the World Bank and Transparency International reports that commended the country's reforming capacity and anti-corruption efforts respectively. Speaking about the Framework Agreement implementation, he said the Government tripled the funds for meeting the principle of equitable representation of non-majority communities in state institutions.

Gruevski also briefed DiCaprio about the setting up of Inquiry Committee that should determine the circumstances regarding Parliament's events that took place on September 25 and the accountability of those involved.

In regard to Greece's announcement to veto Macedonia's accession to NATO, DiCaprio reaffirmed the US support of negotiations on the name dispute, held under the auspices of UN special mediator Matthew Nimitz.

But solving of this issue is not a prerequisite for NATO membership, DiCarlo said.

Macedonia has been making efforts for talks in New York to bring fruits in the near future, Gruevski said, pointing out that accession of all countries of the region to NATO will contribute significantly to the region's stability.

Earlier today, DiCarlo had a meeting with President Branko Crvenkovski. Tomorrow, she is scheduled to meet Parliament Speaker Ljubisa Georgievski and Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki. (MRT)