Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, received the Macedonian candidate for President of the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Srgjan Kerim.

(Photo: Arsen Perić/Salomon 2000)

The Republic of Slovenia already supported Macedonian candidacy within the Eastern European Electoral Group. The former Macedonian Foreign Minister, who is this group's only candidate, is expected to be elected at the end of May 2007. His one-year tenure as the President of the UN General Assembly will coincide with Slovenia's presidency of the EU in the first half of 2008. Both Mr Janša and Mr Kerim reaffirmed the mutual interest for close cooperation during this period.

They also discussed the situation in the Western Balkans. Mr Kerim stressed the importance of Slovenia's support for Macedonian Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The support had been reiterated at the recent official visit of the Slovenian Prime Minister and a strong business delegation to Skopje. According to Mr Kerim, the important added value of the visit, which both sides had assessed as very positive, was that it increased the confidence of Macedonian citizens on their Euro-Atlantic path.