Skopje, 16 November 2022 (MIA) - Friendship and progress of relations between the two countries and the French efforts for opening open North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations were in the focus of Wednesday’s meeting between President Stevo Pendarovski and State Secretary at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Laurence Boone. President Pendarovski expressing his willingness to further continue the intensive high-level political dialogue, thanked France for its support to our European integration process, as well as the focus on bilateral cooperation, while welcoming the recent signing of the agreement to strengthen defence cooperation, Pendarovski’s Office said. Interlocutors also discussed the country's EU membership negotiations, the current screening process, as well as the next stages that should be completed as part of the process of accession negotiations North Macedonia with the European Union.