Skopje, 29 November 2023 (MIA) – You have done an outstanding job, succeeding in expanding the mission of the OSCE despite significant obstacles, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during Wednesday afternoon meeting in Skopje with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani.

"It's great to be here, it's great to be in North Macedonia, it's great to be with all our colleagues. I come from NATO, which is appropriate because North Macedonia is a strong ally and partner of the US and all our allies in the Alliance, and we see that every day. I must tell you how grateful we are for your chairmanship with the OSCE in a very challenging period. You have done an outstanding job, succeeding in expanding the mission of the OSCE despite significant obstacles. I know you were prepared to continue, but I'm pleased that Malta is taking over the OSCE presidency,” Blinken said.

"We have a strategic partnership," added Blinken, "which is really focused on the work we do together as allies and partners, but also the work we collectively do at a bilateral level."

"We strongly support the work you are doing to strengthen democratic institutions. We also strongly support your efforts for energy diversification in the region and beyond, which I believe has a significant impact. In all of this, you can consider the US as a strong partner," emphasized the US Secretary of State.

"As you know, we strongly support your Euro-Atlantic integration, support the efforts to strengthen your democratic institutions, and strongly support the work you do for greater energy diversification in the region and beyond, which will have a significant impact. All of this, you can consider it as the United States being a strong partner, and that's one of the reasons why I'm here tonight, not only because of the OSCE but also for North Macedonia, to show how much we value the partnership we have," US Secretary of State Blinken noted.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in this first visit of the US Secretary of State to North Macedonia, the focus of the talks was on current international events, with a special emphasis on the situation in Ukraine. In this regard, the interlocutors strongly condemned the Russian military aggression and expressed unwavering support for the Ukrainian people.

"As strategic partners and NATO allies, we stand united in supporting Ukraine and defending modern democratic values and principles. We strongly condemn the Russian military aggression, which represents an assault on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, posing a serious threat to global peace and stability,” Osmani said.

The interlocutors also discussed our chairmanship of the OSCE, emphasizing North Macedonia's commitments to overcoming the challenges facing the organization, as well as the overall support from the United States in this process. They jointly welcomed the decision that paves the way for Malta to assume the next OSCE chairmanship in 2024, overcoming the crisis facing the organization and representing a significant success for our presidency and the future of the OSCE.

The meeting between Osmani and Blinken is of historical significance, as it marks the first visit of the US Secretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia.

The visit is another confirmation of the new relationship between the two diplomacies, which began last year when Osmani and Blinken jointly launched the Strategic Dialogue between North Macedonia and the US in Washington, Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

Blinken is to attend an informal dinner ahead of the OSCE ministerial Council on Thursday.

"During his visit to North Macedonia, Secretary Blinken will engage with OSCE counterparts, reaffirming the United States’ steadfast commitment to the OSCE and its core mission of promoting security, stability, and cooperation among states, with a particular emphasis on human rights and peaceful resolution of disputes. Secretary Blinken will also highlight the pivotal role played by the OSCE in advancing comprehensive security across the region and thank North Macedonia for its leadership role," said the U.S. Department of State.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's attendance at the ministerial meeting in Skopje is a rare occasion for both diplomats to find themselves in the same place since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, though a meeting between Blinken and Lavrov has not been scheduled thus far.

A senior official from the US Department of State, on the other hand, stated today that they do not expect US Secretary of State Blinken to have any meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov during the OSCE meeting in North Macedonia, reported the Voice of America’s correspondent at the State Department.

"We are not expecting a meeting," stated US Department of State official when asked about the possibility of any meeting between Blinken and Lavrov.

Blinken is leaving for the Middle East from Skopje.