The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, launched his visit to the United States, where he will attend the 67th United Nations General Assembly, with a meeting with the Macedonian emigrants in the church of St. “Cyril and Methodius” in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

- Among the numerous links that connect the homeland and the diaspora, the greatest is the love to our common homeland. I believe that the love is a reason more to be together, united and unified in our efforts for highly developed, rich and prosperous Republic of Macedonia. The desire for European and Euro-Atlantic Macedonia unites not only the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia but also our brothers and sisters around the world. Thus, we will be able to fulfill the dream of our forefathers for freedom, justice and human dignity. To be united under the motto – we will live in Macedonia as we will create it. And we want to live in a rich, highly developed, European and prosperous Macedonia, President Ivanov said..

The meeting, despite the large number of Macedonians from New Jersey, was attended by politicians from this state. Congressmen Bill Pascrell, strong supporter of Macedonia, held a speech in which he strongly urged for Macedonia’s membership in NATO. - We, as a country, have no right, and the United Nations have no right, to tell you, or any other nation, how to call yourselves. I have discussed this issue many times with the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a good friend of mine. I have talked with former presidents, Democrats and Republicans, and we will not yield of Macedonia being a sovereign and independent state forever and there is no reason someone to hinder our NATO membership. Our struggle is not to destroy the enemy, but the enemy to become a friend, Congressman Pascrell said.

He announced support for changing immigration-related laws in the United States, in order to allow all migrants, including Macedonian, facilitated access to America, and to connect with their families. Kire Trajceski, president of the “St. Cyril and Methodius” church board, demanded preservation of the Macedonian identity in the course of the talks with Greece. - The only irreparable thing is the loss of the name and identity of Macedonia and the Macedonian people. It is something that if once lost, it will never return, Trajceski said. President Ivanov tomorrow will visit the church of “St. Nikola” in Totowa. Afterwards, the President will visit Boston, where he will deliver a lecture at the elite Harvard University on “Macedonian integrations and respect for diversity in the Republic of Macedonia”..

President Ivanov, on Thursday, will address the UN General Assembly. During his visit, he will meet with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who recently visited Macedonia and was informed on the progress of the talks with Greece on the name issue. President Ivanov, despite the bilateral meetings in New York, will attend the reception hosted by the US President Barack Obama, as well as the opening of the new premises of the European Union to the United Nations in the presence of the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso.