WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th October, 2019) The Trump administration looks forward to welcoming North Macedonia into the NATO alliance as its 30th member state, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Wednesday.
"We look forward to welcoming North Macedonia soon as the 30th NATO ally," Pompeo said.
On Tuesday, the Senate approved the decision by the US government to support Macedonia's entry into the alliance by an almost unanimous bipartisan vote of 91 to two. Only Republican Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee voted against.
Pompeo said the vote reaffirmed Macedonia's continued dedication to democratic principles and the rule of law as well as contributions to peace and security throughout the region.
On September 30, Macedonia held a referendum in which the Macedonian people overwhelmingly rejected NATO and EU membership as well as the United States and European Union pressure to change Macedonia's historical name, identity and history.
The Macedonian World Congress has said the moves by the US-installed government of Zoran Zaev to change Macedonia's name and identity in order to proceed with NATO and EU membership are genocidal, illegal and are in direct violation of the democratically expressed will of the Macedonian people as well as against the fundamental� tenets of international law.
