The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, received today the members of the Japanese delegation led by Mr. Minoru Kiuchi, Parliamentary Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The meeting expressed satisfaction with the positive development of the bilateral relations. President Ivanov said to deepen cooperation in all areas for which there is untapped potential on both sides, continuous and intensive political dialogue is necessary, meetings and contacts at all levels.

The Macedonian President expressed readiness to continue and deepen the economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as thankfulness for the technical assistance that the Republic of Macedonia receives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency for the implementation of several important projects and donations. In order to strengthen trade exchange and to attract Japanese investment, President Ivanov emphasized the favorable conditions that the Republic of Macedonia offers to foreign investors, and pointed out the need to strengthen the legal framework between the two countries.

The interlocutors, during the meeting, considered the possibilities to deepen cooperation in the sphere of education, science and culture. They also expressed interest in opening Japanese Cultural Center in Skopje, as well as to increase the number of scholarships for Macedonian students.
Both sides exchanged views on the developments in the region and in East Asia and expressed readiness to continue the excellent cooperation at multilateral level.