(MIA) - As of Friday, Macedonia will take over the year-long presidency of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP). One of our priorities will be to improve the image of the region, stated Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki after a ministerial meeting of SEECP member states held Thursday in Belgrade.
He noted that Macedonia in the course of the presidency would focus mainly on economic cooperation and the creation of a perception about the entire region as an attractive destination for investments and tourists.
"I think we should move from a phase mainly associated with conflicts, blockades and obstructions into a new phase of cooperation, progress and mutual support. Peace and stability in Europe have been established in a period of 60 years based on such cooperation and mutual support. We believe that our region could be integrated into the European family solely through that kind of approach," Poposki said.
He added that he anticipated EU countries to demonstrate an adequate level of awareness to support other candidates and potential candidates to make progress on the road to EU integration.
"In that spirit we anticipate the Thessaloniki Agenda to be met whose goal is to support and close the EU integration process of the region. This is what we expect and it is a real challenge. Together, we could tackle some of the global challenges of economic nature, environment protection, protection against natural disasters. There are chances to affirm this cooperation in a positive way and to succeed the reputation of South East Europe to be more visible in Europe and beyond and to make concrete results making our region a better place for living," Poposki noted.
He met today with his counterparts from Serbia, Romania and Montenegro - Vuk Jeremic, Andrei Marga and Milan Rocen - to share views on Serbia's presidency with SEECP.
The FM also held a meeting with Macedonia's ambassador in Belgrade Ljubisa Georgievski and Serbian MP Mile Spirkovski - the leader of the Democratic Party of Macedonians in Serbia, who is the first Macedonian elected in the National Assembly of Serbia.
"It is of great importance that a representative of the Macedonian community in Serbia is going to be in the assembly. It is expected efforts to be made toward promotion of common goals. Macedonia and Serbia see their future within the same European family. Thus, the affirmation of minority communities and their role in the political and other aspects of living in a state is quite significant," FM Poposki concluded.
The meeting of foreign ministers of SEECP countries is the oldest political initiative in the region. Taking it over from Serbia, Macedonia will hold the SEECP chairmanship until June 2013. The country held the SEECP presidency for the first time in 2000-2001.
