Macedonia has sent letters to NATO member countries, urging them to approve its accession into the alliance, whether it settles a name dispute with neighboring Greece or not, local media reported Thursday.
Macedonia Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki sent the letters to his counterparts in NATO countries Wednesday evening after NATO leaders did not invite Macedonia to join the bloc together with Albania and Croatia at last week's summit in Bucharest, Romania.
Greece blocked Macedonia's invitation, arguing that the country's name implies a territorial claim to a northern Greek province also called Macedonia.
Milososki said that NATO's decision hugely disappointed his country and its people as 90 percent of the population supports the country's accession into NATO.
"I am confident that you and your country will not allow an imposed bilateral issue to become an additional criterion and a pre-condition for Macedonia's membership of NATO," Milososki said.
He added that Macedonia had made great efforts in building good-neighborly relations with Greece, including amending its constitution and changing its national flag.
"I believe your country and you personally will support the prompt accession of Macedonia into the NATO, and help preserve at the same time our right to national self-determination and language identity," Milososki said in the letters.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article