The United States is holding bilateral talks with Bulgaria and North Macedonia to resolve bilateral disputes quickly because it is time for North Macedonia and Albania to start pre-accession talks with the EU, the State Department said.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a telephone conversation last week that the process was being accelerated.
Asked by MIA to reveal details and deadlines in this regard, spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday that he continued to encourage both Bulgaria and North Macedonia to resolve bilateral disputes quickly.
“But I will not reveal details of those conversations,” Price said.
The two countries have completed the basic tasks and we believe that it is time to continue together in the next phase of the long and challenging accession process, Price said.
The spokesperson added that “the historic Prespa Agreement has shown that the countries of the Western Balkans are capable of completing difficult tasks, reaching compromises and difficult decisions, and we are convinced that Bulgaria and North Macedonia will do the same by negotiating their bilateral disputes.”
