Skopje, 21 October 2022 (MIA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani held a bilateral meeting Friday with the UK Minister of State for Europe, Leo Docherty, on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Berlin Process. Osmani and Docherty welcomed the strong economic relations between North Macedonia and the United Kingdom, the country’s second largest trade partner and one of the largest direct foreign investors in North Macedonia, which have further intensified after the signing of the bilateral Agreement on Trade, Partnership and Cooperation, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release. Osmani briefed Docherty about the EU negotiations and the next steps, emphasizing the high readiness of the country for a successful and speedy negotiation process. The Ministers expressed their satisfaction by North Macedonia’s historic step for the beginning of negotiations, expressing their hope for successful negotiations with the aim of a full-fledged EU membership. “Osmani and Docherty also spoke about the role and importance of the new European Political Community, which is a good response to the geopolitical threat of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Expressing their satisfaction about the first meeting in Prague, the ministers agreed that the new political community is not a replacement of the EU’s policy, including the enlargement process which is not threatened," said the MFA. According to the Ministry, both interlocutors touched upon the current political situation of the Western Balkan countries and the role of the United Kingdom in this context. Osmani informed Docherty about North Macedonia’s deeper role in the regional policies, as well as the preparations for the country’s 2023 OSCE chairmanship. ad/sk/