Source: US Embassy in Macedonia

Ministers, senior officials, parliamentarians, academics, NGO representatives, and journalists from 49 NATO and Partner countries gathered on the shores of Lake Ohrid for discussions of key security issues. The need for a comprehensive approach to Afghanistan, a framework for energy security and the importance of integrating the Balkans into Euro-Atlantic structures was the focus of the meeting.  The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Security Forum (EAPC) brought together Ministers, senior officials, parliamentarians, academics, NGO representatives, and journalists from 49 NATO and Partner countries for discussions of key security issues. 

United States Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland led the U.S. delegation to the EAPC.  Joining Ambassador Nuland in the U.S. delegation were  Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia Gillian Milovanovic, and LTC Paul Brotzen, NATO Policy Officer. 

In addition to the coverage of the EAPC provided by national television station MTV, Ambassador Nuland gave four one-on-one interviews, speaking with reporters from private nationwide broadcasters Alsat and Kanal 5, from MTV, and from BBC.  "My nation would like to be in a position next year to invite all three of the Adriatic Charter countries to join NATO," she said in the interview with Alsat.  She noted that  "we believe each country has more work to do," adding that "I have confidence that there is the will and sprit of unity here now to do that hard work." 

In interviews with Bloomberg and with the Macedonian-language daily "Dnevnik," DAS Bryza discussed energy security.  "The solution is through competition and diversification of sources of supply.  We think security comes not just from having a number of different pipelines in the ground, but security comes from having gas that originates with a variety of different sources."

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