WEBVTT

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- [Translator] Ladies and gentlemen, in peace,

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I would like to open 31st session

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of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia.

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At this session, we invite

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the President of Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Gjorge Ivanov,

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the President of the Government of

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Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Zoran Zaev,

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the President of the Constitutional Court

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of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the President of the Supreme Court of Republic of Macedonia,

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the President of the Judicial Counsel

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of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the President of the Counsel of (mumbles)

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of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the Woodsman, the Deputies of the President

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of the Government of Republic of Macedonia,

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the Ministers in the Government of Republic of Macedonia,

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the Government of the National Bank of Republic of Macedonia

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the head of the (mumbles), of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the former President of

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the General Assembly of the Human Organization (mumbles)

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the President of Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts,

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the head of the Macedonia Orthodox Church, (mumbles),

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religious community of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the bishop and (mumbles)

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Catholic Church of the Republic of Macedonia,

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representatives from the (mumbles),

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the President of the Jewish Community

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of the Republic of Macedonia,

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the heads of the Diplomatic Missions

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in Republic of Macedonia,

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and allow me on my own and on your behalf

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to read the presentation.

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I have the particular honor and pleasure

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on behalf of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia,

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and on my own behalf to greet

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the Secretary General of the NATO, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg.

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(audience applauds)

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(speaks in foreign language)

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Secretary of NATO, I call upon you to talk in front of

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the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia.

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- Members of Parliament, Excellencies,

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ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

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I am deeply honored to stand here in front of you today.

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And I thank you Mr. President for the generous invitation

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to speak to the Parliament here in Skopje.

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I do so as Secretary General of NATO.

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An organization of which this country

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is already a very close and highly valued friend.

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For more than 15 years

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the men and women of your highly-skilled armed forces

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have participated in Allied and international missions.

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For instance, bringing security

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and stability in Afghanistan.

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And helping the people there to dream of a brighter future.

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Thank you for everything your country has done

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in support for international security.

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For our part, for the part of NATO,

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in 2001 and 2002,

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NATO also made considerable contributions

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to the security and the stability of this country.

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And we still have an advisory role.

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And earlier today I met with the NATO office here in Skopje

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and I commended them for the work they are doing,

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in working together with you.

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But today I am here, standing in front of you,

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to talk about the brighter future

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you are building for yourselves.

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And the doors you are opening.

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NATO is the most successful alliance in the history.

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Representing half of the world's economic might.

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And half of the world's military might.

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We have been engaged in the Western Balkans

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for more than two decades.

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Because we want this region to be

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secure, prosperous and free.

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And because we want this country to be secure,

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prosperous and free.

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All your friends in NATO support you in your efforts.

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But none of us take success for granted.

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The events in this building,

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of April last year,

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in this very chamber, shocked me,

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and they shocked all NATO Allies.

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But we have been impressed by what we have seen since then.

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The progress you have made.

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And I want to praise the progress

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you have all made together.

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In creating a new, more open,

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more inclusive political culture.

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In forging a new national spirit.

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Forward-looking.

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Optimistic.

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And resilient.

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As a former parliamentarian myself

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and as a former prime minister of Norway,

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I understand many of the challenges you continue to face.

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But a long political career has taught me

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that the more inclusive a country,

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the more successful it is.

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Diversity is a strength, not a weakness.

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Where there is inclusion and open dialogue,

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supported by good governance, there is resilience.

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In the Washington Treaty, NATO's founding treaty,

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Allies explicitly stated their commitment

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to the principles of democracy,

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individual liberty and the rule of law.

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Those principles, those ideals, define what NATO is.

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And, increasingly, they define what this country is.

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That is why I strongly welcome your resolve

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to pursue the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.

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Including membership in NATO.

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NATO has shown that the path to joining the Alliance

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is open to countries who are willing

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and able to meet the responsibilities involved.

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The Washington Treaty states that Allies

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may, by unanimous agreement,

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invite any other European state to join the Alliance.

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If it is in a position to

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further the principles of the Treaty.

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And contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.

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Those are the conditions under which

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Montenegro became NATO's 29th member last year.

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With a seat at our table,

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an equal voice in our discussions,

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and the same rights and the same responsibilities

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as any other Ally.

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Watching the Montenegrin flag raised

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for the first time at NATO Headquarters last year

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was really a proud moment for me.

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And there is still room for more flags

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in front of the NATO Headquarters.

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Allies have been impressed by your determination

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and your enthusiasm to join the Alliance.

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I want you to succeed.

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And NATO wants you to succeed.

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But while it is good to be ambitious,

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it is also important to be realistic.

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There is still much hard work to be done.

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That means, of course,

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resolving the issue of your country's name.

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It is an issue that has weighed on this region,

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and this country, for far too long.

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And therefore I welcome

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the willingness of your government

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to resolve this issue

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and the resolve the government has shown.

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And yesterday's meeting of negotiators

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under the United Nations Framework in New York

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was another valuable step.

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I am encouraged by recent progress,

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as are all NATO Allies,

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and I urge you to take this chance to move forward.

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However, membership is about much more

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than solving the name issue.

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Allies are bound together not just by common interests

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but also by common values.

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And countries aspiring to join the Alliance

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must demonstrate that they share those values.

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That means sticking to the path of reform.

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I commend you for the efforts you have already made.

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Including on the 3-6-9 Plan.

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The passing of the language law in Parliament last week

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was a significant step.

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We also note important progress

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on transparency, accountability,

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oversight of the intelligence and security agencies,

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and judicial reform.

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And that must continue.

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We hope to see similar progress on electoral reform,

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reform of the media and greater transparency

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in government finances.

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Every member of this chamber will play a key role.

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You all carry a responsibility.

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Not just to legislate.

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Not just to implement reform.

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But to embody what this country can be.

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Free, democratic and respectful of the rule of law.

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And here the role of the opposition is crucial.

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Scrutinizing and questioning the government.

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Constructively contributing to the process.

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Let me also acknowledge the critical role

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of the civil society

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and commend the role the civil society

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in this country is playing.

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Helping to move reform forward and supporting progress.

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As well as underlining

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the contribution every single citizen

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of this country can make.

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No matter where, or which community, you come from.

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It is also vital to be able to demonstrate

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good relations with your neighbors.

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Here, too, Allies are impressed

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by the progress you have made.

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I congratulate you on the ratification

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of the Treaty of Friendship with Bulgaria.

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And encourage you to continue to work to improve

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relations with others in the region.

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It is also crucial for NATO to see you

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investing in your defense.

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We are a military Alliance

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whose chief purpose is collective defense.

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With a solemn commitment to come to each other's aid.

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Based on the principle of one for all and all for one.

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All NATO Allies have committed to increase

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defense spending to 2% of GDP.

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The Alliance wants to see this country moving

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in the same direction.

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And therefore I commend your government's commitment

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to the 2% guideline.

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We also want to see efforts to boost the ability

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of your militaries to work together on operations

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and continuing reform of your defense institutions.

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I will look forward to seeing the fruits

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of the Strategic Defense Review later this year.

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NATO's door is open to new members.

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But crossing the threshold requires hard work.

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We will support you as much as we can.

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Including with practical support on defense reforms.

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Improving defense education and investment in defense.

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And fighting corruption in the defense sector.

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I do not underestimate the challenges you face.

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Continue to be transparent with us about

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the reforms you are implementing.

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We will continue to support you

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through our partnership program.

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And through the NATO Liaison Office here in Skopje.

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We know there are challenges but we want to help you.

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We understand that part of our dialogue

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is about the citizens of this country

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getting to know NATO better.

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And we are keen to expand the public engagement

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we have with the people of this country.

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So colleagues, friends,

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Nine months ago, you were approaching the edge of a cliff.

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Since then you have turned a country

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of potential instability into a country of real opportunity.

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Today, the door is open.

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To reform.

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To better transatlantic relations

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and to better relations with your neighbors.

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To the Euro-Atlantic community and NATO.

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And to a new, brighter, and more prosperous future.

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There is still work to do.

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But we have the tools and you have the tools

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and you have the vision and you have the drive.

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And, in NATO, you have a true friend.

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Thank you.

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(audience applauds)