BiH Presidenc41017irman Željko Komšić was welcomed by President of the Republic of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov, with the highest state and military honours, at the plateau in front of the Office of the President, Villa Vodno.

After the tête-à-tête talk between BiH Presidenc41017irman Željko Komšić and President Gjorge Ivanov, plenary talks of the state delegations of BiH and Macedonia were held.

Chairman Komšić thanked the President of Macedonia, in his own name and on behalf of BiH Presidency, for the official and warm reception, congratulated the national holiday and on this occasion restated that BiH and the Republic of Macedonia are two friendly states which have good bilateral cooperation, without any unsolved issues. Furthermore, he thanked the Government and the people of the Republic of Macedonia for the support in the process of the European integrations and the participation of the military units in peacekeeping missions.

Chairman Komšić pointed out that the Dayton Agreement is a peace process which is necessary to be built upon, before all, through an implementation of the Sejdić-Finci Decision and thus accelerate the path of BiH towards the EU and NATO. This would also accelerate the development of democracy and the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina would be focused on their future. The key laws have already been prepared; the State Aid System Law; the Census Law; the Commission for the implementation of the Strasbourg Decision has been formed which will allow the application for the EU candidate status to be submitted, said Chairman Komšić.

During the talk, President Ivanov particularly highlighted the similarity of the two countries which mutually respect the differences and build the multi-national society as well as the inclusive democracy. Furthermore he said that the Republic of Macedonia strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH and pointed out that the political, economic and trade relations, as well as the relations in the field of culture can be improved further. Those are contributed by contacts and visits at the highest level, as well as the prepared agreements on cooperation between the two states which are soon to be signed.

After the official talks, BiH Presidenc41017irman honoured and laid a wreath at the tomb of Goce Delčev in the St. Saviour Church. In the afternoon hours, he had a meeting at the Government of the Republic of Macedonia with its Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

During the talk, once again, a mutual wish was expressed for the bilateral relations of the two friendly states to be improved and developed in the future, especially since the joint goal is the full membership to the EU and NATO. It was also talked about the forthcoming Business Forum, intensifying of the succession of the property of former Yugoslavia, as well as the position of national minorities in BiH and Macedonia. Chairman Komšić said to Prime Minister Gruevski too that the relations between the two countries are based on the principle of mutual respect and understanding with a joint goal of the Euro-Atlantic integrations, which is a basic pre-condition for the solution of the issues of political, economic and military stability, as for BiH as for the Republic of Macedonia and all other countries of the Western Balkans.

The second day of the official visit to the Republic of Macedonia, as has been planned, involves the meeting between Chairman Komšić and Parliamentary Speaker Trajko Veljanovski, after which the state delegation, led b41017irman Komšić returns to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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