Gruevski to Bush: Come on Over!

Macedonian_News_Service : Message: Daily Bulletin:

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski sent a letter to U.S. President George Bush in response to his personal message, in which he expressed his satisfaction from their meeting in Tirana and Macedonia's progress regarding NATO membership.

"I was honored to meet you in Tirana earlier this month. I highly value this exceptional opportunity and our direct and open discussion with our common friends and partners from Albania and Croatia on the future of the Balkans.

Under your leadership, the United States significantly enhanced our efforts to strengthen the Macedonian multi-ethnic democracy and market economy. As a result, the Republic of Macedonia has been able to assume its part of responsibilities and to participate in the important missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I am grateful for the vital support you have given for our membership in NATO. The Republic of Macedonia is dedicated to finalize the reforms and we are aware that our work will continue even after we join the Alliance. We know that the opportunity to join the Alliance has become a reality and we will do everything within our power to earn that privilege. For the people of Macedonia, next April’s Summit in Bucharest is a meeting with our destiny. Our people have been waiting for too long to join the European mainstream and we will seize this historic opportunity.

Expanding NATO with Albania, Croatia and Macedonia, a timely resolution of the final status of Kosovo, and opening the European door for Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, will transform the Balkans into a zone of freedom, stability, and economic prosperity.

I would like to invite you, after the Summit next year, to visit Biblical Macedonia, to come to Ohrid, the centre of Christianity that in the XIV century had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, so that together with my colleagues from the region, we could celebrate the crowning of your vision expressed in 2001 in Warsaw for Europe whole, free and at peace.

God bless you, your family and the American people", reads the letter of PM Gruevski to U.S. President Bush.