Intensive diplomatic activity and communication with peers and institutions abroad involving Macedonia's membership to NATO, presentation of country's ongoing reforms and its commitment to join the Alliance, being its strategic priority.

These are the priorities presented on Friday by Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi at a press briefing for the period prior to the NATO summit in May. Their objective is to secure acknowledgement of Macedonia's efforts made towards NATO membership.

The "Chicago 2012 Agenda" envisages visits to NATO countries for talks on the upcoming summit of the Alliance. DM Besimi is scheduled to take part at the National Prayer Breakfast in the United States on Feb. 2, to visit the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Feb. 3, to participate at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 4-5, where he will meet with NATO counterparts. On Feb. 6, Besimi will pay a working visit to Belgrade for talks on enhancing regional cooperation.

He also announced a visit to the Multinational Peace Force South-Eastern Europe (MPFSEE), based in Larissa, Greece. The brigade is currently under the command of a Macedonian general. The minister said he was likely to meet his Greek counterpart in Larissa or in Athens.

"Reforms and intensive diplomacy is under way in a bid to inform our partners about the efforts made by Macedonia toward NATO membership and to convince them with arguments suggesting that Macedonian membership to NATO is not aimed against any member state. On the contrary, a membership to NATO will be beneficial for Macedonia, the region, Greece and NATO. Macedonia's NATO membership will be a success not only for NATO, but also for Macedonia," Besimi stressed.

Answering a journalist question, minister Besimi said that the name dispute was not a simple and easy issue considering the fact that it was as old as Macedonia's independence.

According to him, NATO membership of regional countries would secure stability, a market for more investments and development. Greece, Besimi added, has invested mainly in Macedonia, most of its trade for Europe passes through Macedonia.

"A NATO membership doesn't mean that the name issue will be closed. In this stage, we need Macedonia to join NATO as FYROM - the reference used in UN. Greece has already accepted this and the name issue is most likely to last. Both parties share firm positions until a mutually acceptable solution is found. A mutually acceptable solution with respect to NATO is the same and both Macedonia and Greece should reach an agreement as in the UN. No one in NATO has explicitly stated - a name solution first, then membership," Besimi underlined.

Country's objective, he added, is very sincere and transparent and we do not have a problem to state our position, which is NATO membership. "The reference is being used at international level until a solution is found, which raises no issues within other institutions."

"There are no chances the name issue to be solved before the NATO summit in Chicago. We must examine what options are being offered in Chicago, name talks with Greece to continue and an agreement to be reached with Greece on how Macedonia can become a part of NATO," Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi said.