16th June 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
Why we value UK-Macedonia partnership?
Earlier this week I had my first one-to-one meeting with Zoran Zaev since he became Prime Minister of Macedonia. It had been delayed by a week because of what we call ‘purdah’, the election-related silence in which British civil servants are not allowed to say anything which might influence voting or government formation. Given the new Macedonian government’s keenness to get on with reforms, it was frustrating to have to wait. But purdah is an important part of the way we keep state and party separate.
The meeting gave us an opportunity to talk about Mr Zaev’s priorities, about the challenges he sees ahead of him, and about what we as the UK can do to help Macedonia succeed.
The UK and Macedonia have a long-standing relationship. We were the third country (after Slovenia and Turkey) to recognise Macedonia after independence. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the day we established diplomatic relations in 1993 and opened our Embassy. That was quickly followed by signing the first memorandum of understanding on defence in 1995. And in June 1996 the first British-Macedonian parliamentary group was established.
No need to repeat all the detail of our cooperation since then. But it does bear repeating that the UK remains committed to Macedonia.
We support any government that shows the will to work for the benefit of all citizens of Macedonia. A government that looks for inclusion, not exclusion. That focuses on rule of the law instead of abuse of the law.
Inclusion is important because it promotes stability and security. If parts of society feel excluded, or feel they are not getting a fair deal, stability will be weakened. But it is not only about security. Inclusion feeds all aspects of a healthy society from democratic participation to creativity and economic growth. To thrive, any society needs to invite everyone to the table.
The UK’s commitment to Macedonia echoes our commitment to the whole Western Balkans region. The region’s stability influences our stability. Its security affects our security. We share strategic challenges which require shared solutions. These shared interests are enduring and will continue irrespective of Brexit. The UK will be leaving the EU. But it will stay firmly rooted in Europe with the same interests in our shared security, stability and prosperity.
That is why we value the UK-Macedonia partnership. It is also why London will be hosting the 2018 Western Balkans Summit as part of the Berlin Process. Following on from the 2017 Trieste Summit, London 2018 will bring together leaders from across politics, business and civil society. It will, we believe, make a strong contribution to our shared future.