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NATO chief welcomes political progress in Macedonia

Xinhua, May 17, 2017 Adjust font size:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday welcomed the political progress in Macedonia in a statement.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said Wednesday he decided to give a mandate to Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev to form a new government.

Calling that President Ivanov's decision "is a step in the right direction", Stoltenberg encouraged "the swift formation of a new government, a timely confirmation vote in parliament" in Macedonia.

"It is important the country can start to focus on its urgently needed reforms. I urge all those concerned to continue their efforts to advance the country's Euro-Atlantic aspirations," he added.

Macedonia, or formally called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) at the UN, joined NATO's membership action plan in 1999.

According to NATO, beyond the need to make progress on reforms, the country also has to find a mutually acceptable solution with Greece to the issue over its name before it can be invited to join NATO.

Greece and Macedonia have long disputed over the use of the name of Macedonia since Greece's northern neighbor broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Macedonia is the name of Greece's northern province and Athens has worried that the use of the same name by the neighboring state could imply territorial claims. Endit