WEBVTT 00:04.500 --> 00:07.325 - So, welcome. - Thank you. 00:07.325 --> 00:08.158 - Great to see you. 00:08.158 --> 00:11.087 - Thank you; it's a privilege and a pleasure. 00:11.087 --> 00:12.710 - Let me just first of all say that 00:12.710 --> 00:14.340 I'm so honored to have you here, 00:14.340 --> 00:16.860 and really a great pleasure to see you. 00:16.860 --> 00:21.000 And Minister Sekerinska, Radmila, 00:21.000 --> 00:24.950 it's great to have you here for the first time 00:24.950 --> 00:29.110 attending a NATO ministerial meeting as an invitee. 00:29.110 --> 00:30.720 And it's great also to know that, 00:30.720 --> 00:35.360 I no longer refer to your country 00:35.360 --> 00:36.690 with a very long and difficult name, 00:36.690 --> 00:41.010 but actually I can call you the Republic of North Macedonia. 00:41.010 --> 00:45.050 This is a great moment for all of us. 00:45.050 --> 00:48.380 We really appreciate the progress you have made 00:48.380 --> 00:50.560 and without your commitment, without your leadership, 00:50.560 --> 00:53.200 of you personally and of your government, 00:53.200 --> 00:56.240 we would not have been able to be where we are today, 00:56.240 --> 00:59.920 inviting you to this defense ministerial meeting. 00:59.920 --> 01:04.390 I have seen that yesterday, the NATO flag was raised 01:04.390 --> 01:09.390 at government buildings in your country, in North Macedonia, 01:13.720 --> 01:17.568 and I really look forward to the day we can do the same, 01:17.568 --> 01:20.250 to have your flag raised here alongside 01:20.250 --> 01:23.750 the 29 other flags outside the NATO Building. 01:23.750 --> 01:27.010 So, this is a great day, and I really look forward 01:27.010 --> 01:29.020 to the day when we can have you as a full member, 01:29.020 --> 01:31.130 when the ratification process is finished 01:31.130 --> 01:32.740 in all the 29 allies. 01:32.740 --> 01:34.720 So once again welcome, great to have you here. 01:34.720 --> 01:38.053 - Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary-General. 01:38.053 --> 01:41.513 It is an honor and a privilege for me and for my country 01:41.513 --> 01:46.513 to be here for the first time at a NATO ministerial meeting. 01:46.570 --> 01:51.570 It is I think a proof that political courage pays off, 01:51.850 --> 01:54.720 that change is possible, even in the Balkans, 01:54.720 --> 01:56.700 even in times like this. 01:56.700 --> 02:01.030 And it is also proof that there are no frozen problems, 02:01.030 --> 02:02.640 there are only frozen solutions. 02:02.640 --> 02:04.860 We have shown that we are capable 02:04.860 --> 02:06.930 of finding the right solutions, 02:06.930 --> 02:09.850 and this is the reward, not only for me, 02:09.850 --> 02:13.090 not only for my government, but also for our people. 02:13.090 --> 02:16.100 Let me just add, the big gratitude 02:16.100 --> 02:18.980 that our government and our people have towards you, 02:18.980 --> 02:20.748 because without your commitment, 02:20.748 --> 02:24.760 without your support, even in more difficult times, 02:24.760 --> 02:27.130 we would not have been here together. 02:27.130 --> 02:32.130 I'm here to pledge our firm belief that we can commit, 02:32.800 --> 02:37.680 that we can follow with action, with deeds, with measures, 02:37.680 --> 02:40.420 to contribute to our joint stability 02:40.420 --> 02:42.110 and to contribute to NATO. 02:42.110 --> 02:44.870 So thank you very much, it will be a privilege 02:44.870 --> 02:46.470 for me to sit next to you, 02:46.470 --> 02:49.960 next to the colleague ministers of defense. 02:49.960 --> 02:53.760 I think that we can make our region better, more stable, 02:53.760 --> 02:57.120 and we can also show that NATO's open door policy 02:57.120 --> 02:59.930 is not just words, but real action and real commitment. 02:59.930 --> 03:00.910 Thank you. 03:00.910 --> 03:01.950 - Thank you, welcome again. 03:01.950 --> 03:03.504 - Thank you. 03:03.504 --> 03:05.678 - Thank you again; now we go in. 03:05.678 --> 03:06.678 - Thank you.