Skopje, 29 November 2023 (MIA) – Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski welcomed the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Wednesday afternoon as he arrived in Skopje for the 30th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), taking place on Thursday and Friday.

“A warm welcome to Skopje for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During our meeting this afternoon, we reiterated our strong relations and discussed the continuous support that the United States provides to North Macedonia on our path to full EU membership and the implementation of necessary reforms,” PM Kovachevski posted on Facebook.

The Republic of North Macedonia, as added in the post, is highly valued both as a NATO ally and in the regional context as a stabilizing factor in the Western Balkans.

“The US Secretary of State Blinken commended our successful chairmanship of the OSCE and the constructive approach in implementing the agenda and addressing the challenges faced by the Organization,” reads Facebook post.

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 US 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 late this evening.

Lavrov's meetings during the OSCE Summit in North Macedonia are set for tomorrow, as stated by the Voice of America correspondent from the State Department.

Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell also confirmed his attendance at the summit. He will be received by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski Wednesday evening, and afterward, they will hold a joint press conference.

Borrell said on Tuesday that he would attend the official dinner, but then he would have to return immediately to attend other meetings in Brussels. He also said that he will not be holding talks with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and announced that the main work on new European sanctions against Russia due to the war in Ukraine has been completed. He expressed hope that the relevant decision will be adopted in December.

Photo: Dimitar Kovachevski’s Facebook