Macedonia starts talks on joining NATO

Macedonia starts talks on joining NATO

At the joint news conference with Macedonia's national coordinator for NATO, Stevo Pendarovski, McKee said he expected Macedonia to become the 30th member of NATO in approximately a year and a half.

In his words, Macedonia would become a full member of NATO after it had completed all the internal procedures (in connection with the agreement with Greece) and when all the NATO member countries had ratified the decision on its joining.

Pendarovski said he expected the membership negotiations to be completed by the New Year, stressing that the main task of the state and government was to implement the agreement with Greece, which is the main precondition for membership. He said the implementation of the agreement with Greece would not be discussed with the NATO delegation, because Macedonia had to fulfill that task by itself.