The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today received the Letters of Credence of the newly appointed Ambassadors of the Republic of Austria, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

At the meeting with the newly accredited Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Thomas Michael Baier, President Ivanov expressed his satisfaction with the excellent political relations and assessed positively the development of friendly relations and cooperation between both countries. President Ivanov said that change of the status quo state in the integration process of the Republic of Macedonia is a responsibility of the EU member states, extending gratitude for Austria’s principled position that bilateral issues should not impede integrations. “Such position is fully compliant with the essence and goals of Europe’s unification”, the Macedonian President stressed.

The newly accredited Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, resident in Sofia, H.E. Ju Wang-Hwan, informed President Ivanov on the current developments in the Korean Peninsula and on the perspectives that would lead to a solution which will provide permanent peace and stability in the region. President Ivanov thanked for the consistent and constructive support of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the principled usage of the constitutional name of our country in bilateral and international relations.

At the meeting with the newly accredited Ambassador of the Laos People’s Democratic Republic to the

Republic of Macedonia, resident in Vienna, H.E. Khamkheuang Bounteum, President Ivanov welcomed the decision on appointing the first non-resident Laotian Ambassador to Macedonia, which opens up new possibilities for boosting relations. Both interlocutors voiced their hopes that the cooperation at bilateral and multilateral level would be further improved. President Ivanov said that Macedonia is interested in cooperating with Laos within the Francophone, where this country is particularly active.