Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Naples, discussed Wednesday in Skopje on the relations between FYR Macedonia and the Alliance.

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FYR Macedonia's accession to NATO remains one of the country's foreign policy priorities, Gruevski told the high guest. To that effect, FYR Macedonia is committed, via own reforms and contribution to NATO-led missions, to act as an equal partner of the Alliance's member states, sharing and defending the common values and responsibilities, the PM said.

He told Fitzgerald that in 2010 FYR Macedonia would send 80 ARM troops to Afghanistan mission ISAF in addition to already deployed contingent of 164 and affirmed the country's support of the new Afghan strategy.

The PM welcomed the recent statements of NATO officials, including the one of Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, which call for swift settlement of the name row imposed by Greece. FYR Macedonia is strongly committed to the UN-sponsored process for finding a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue, Gruevski said.

Fitzgerald praised FYR Macedonia for its contribution to global, regional stability, saying that there was no obstacle from the military point of view to the country's full-fledged NATO membership.

 Source; Vlada.mk