President Gjorge Ivanov attended on Tuesday the reception his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama organised in New York for the heads of the delegations at the UN General Assembly. During their conversation, Ivanov said, Obama confirmed his country’s support for the realisation of Macedonia’s national priorities, primarily NATO membership. “The reception traditionally held by the U.S. President for the heads of the delegations at the UN General Assembly is always an opportunity to meet many friends we have in the UN member-states, as well as an opportunity for brief meetings with President Obama. So, I used this opportunity at the reception for a brief conversation with Obama, asking him for support and help, primarily for the Republic of Macedonia’s NATO membership. His answer was that the United States continues with the support and help it has been providing to Macedonia in the future, too, and that we can count on their help also for what is most urgent for us – the NATO membership,” Ivanov said after the summit. This is Ivanov’s first meeting with Obama after the NATO Summit in Wales. According to Ivanov, his talks two days ago in New York at the bilateral meetings as well as at the informal conversations at the reception organised by Obama focused on security issues. “I also met the leaders of a big number of countries, including some of the most important supporters of Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integrations,” he added. Ivanov used the reception to meet his counterparts from Turkey and Poland as well as from all countries from the region. Also, he held meetings with representatives of OSCE, UNESCO, and international organisations. As regards the issue of climate change, Ivanov said Obama, in his address at the reception, underlined the need for joint action.
