Joint statement by the Heads of Mission of the EU, NATO, OSCE and the United States in Skopje

SKOPJE, 27 April 2010 - The Skopje Missions of the EU, NATO, OSCE and the U.S. issued today the following statement:

"We wish to underscore our belief that Euro-Atlantic integration as well as full implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement remains the best path forward for all the citizens of this country and for the wider region.

"We have taken note with concern of recent statements by political leaders and other individuals that point in the opposite direction: talk of separatism, conflict, abandonment of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. We have also noted overall weakening of political dialogue.

"We firmly oppose any violence or threats of violence, as this will only harm political and economic progress, and which are in sharp contradiction with the values that our institutions represent. We encourage all citizens, and their representatives, to utilize existing democratic mechanisms, including the Parliament, to advance their interests.

"We call on all political leaders to reaffirm their full commitment to the Ohrid Framework Agreement and reinforced political dialogue. We also encourage continued progress in all reforms necessary for achieving the foreign policy objectives of the country. We ask all stakeholders to re-double their commitment to inter-ethnic harmony and refrain from any actions that could create tension.

"Public and political support for Euro-Atlantic integration remains extraordinarily high. We believe that this general will should be respected as the way to secure the best possible future for the country and the region."