Macedonia supports Serbia's OSCE Chairmanship

SKOPJE - Macedonia fully supports Serbia's Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said Wednesday in a meeting with Serbia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic in Skopje.

Acting in his capacity as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Dacic is on a visit to Macedonia where he will meet with top state officials and visit the organization's mission in Skopje, as part of his series of visits to the OSCE missions on the ground.

Ivanov and Dacic discussed current events in the region, the activities of Serbia as OSCE chair, and the Ukrainian crisis, which they agreed demands a diplomatic solution, the Macedonian president's office said in a release, according to state news agency MIA.

The topics raised at the meeting included the threat posed by foreign fighters and violent extremism. The Macedonian president stressed that Serbia should use its OSCE chairmanship to promote regional cooperation in eliminating such threats.

Ivanov pointed out that Macedonia greatly appreciates the role of OSCE as well as its support in various fields, such as the rule of law, electoral process and legislation, police and judiciary, strengthening of interethnic relations and coexistence.

Macedonia fully supports the activities of the organization and Serbia's chairmanship, the release states.

Ivanov added that the key challenge for Macedonia is to end the status quo in the EU integration process.

According to an earlier release from the Serbian Foreign Ministry, Dacic will also meet with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the implementation of the...