Skopje, 10 November 2023 (MIA) - Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said the two-day visit to Paris has been a success, during which he held talks with many heads of state and government, a senior U.S. official, and addressed the UNESCO General Conference in Macedonian language.

"I am pleased that I had the opportunity to be the first Macedonian PM to hold an official meeting with the UNESCO Director General and address the organization's General Conference in Macedonian language. Discussions with the Director General focused on the Ohrid region, which has kept its status as natural and cultural world heritage, and further steps for its protection and promotion," said PM Kovachevski.

Kovachevski also attended a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, which also included heads of state and government of other countries.

"We discussed current developments of significance for the region and Europe, in light of the war in Ukraine and the Middle East. We exchanged opinions on the management of challenges that all countries face. The European Council President and EU heads of state and government were also in attendance, with whom we discussed the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which will transform into action plans in the coming period," said Kovachevski.

Earlier today, the PM attended the opening of the 6th Paris Peace Forum, hosted by the French President.

"The forum is an excellent opportunity for countries and representatives of international organizations to exchange experiences regarding the numerous global challenges and their management, as well as realization of the sustainable development goals. I shared the country's experiences regarding the successful management of the energy and economic crises, with the package of anti-crisis measures worth EUR 760 million already confirmed by the World Bank as the largest in the region," said Kovachevski.

According to him, the Paris Peace Forum is an excellent place for experience exchange and discussions on enhancement of mutual cooperation.

"I also met with the newly-appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O'Brien, discussing bilateral cooperation and the Strategic Dialogue, as well as the dynamics of the most significant political and economic issues in North Macedonia and the Western Balkans," underlined Kovachevski.

Photo: Government