Romania supports Macedonia's bids to join NATO, EU

Romanian President Traian Basescu said on Thursday that his country would give its unconditional support to Macedonia's bids to join NATO and the European Union.

Basescu, who is paying an official visit to Macedonia, made the announcement at a joint press conference with his Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov, news reaching here from Skopje said.

"I am glad that President Basescu expressed Romania's readiness to be Macedonia's voice in the EU and NATO. They can present our positions where we are unable to take part," Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said.

On the issue of the name row between Macedonia and Greece, Basescu said his country wouldn't give exclusive support to either Macedonia or Greece, but to a reasonable compromise between the two countries.

"We do not give exclusive support to any of the parties. We support reasonable compromise, a mutual settlement that satisfies both sides," he stressed.

Greece has been opposed to its northern neighbor using the name of Macedonia, arguing that the name implies territorial claims against its own northern province of Macedonia.

Macedonia's efforts to join NATO and the EU have been blocked over the issue, which has dogged the two neighbors for the past 19 years.

Basescu also reiterated that his country will not recognize the independence of Kosovo, a southern Serbian province which declared unilateral independence from Serbia in early 2008.

Source: Xinhua