Macedonia Committed to EU and NATO Future

While the name row with Greece hampers this perspective, he said his country was doing everything in its power to overcome the obstacle.
 
"Although prevented by a policy of absurdity and force, we are doing everything we can to unblock these processes," stressed Ivanov.

Greece has blocked Macedonia from entering the two organisations because of the name of its neighbor. Athens insists that the name, Republic of Macedonia, implies territorial claims against its own northern province, also called Macedonia.

On the sidelines of the conference, Ivanov met several representatives of the US administration to discuss his  country's accession to NATO and its participation in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, local news agency MIA reported.

Ivanov also met British Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, with whom he discussed bilateral cooperation in the Euro-integration sector, as well as the UK's support to the Macedonian army.

Talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov focused on bilateral economic cooperation and its enhancement.

A UN name mediator, Matthew Nimetz, is scheduled to visit Skopje and Athens by the end of February in a bid to initiate a fresh round of name talks.