Skopje, 6 December 2021 (MIA) – The full support of the United States to the process of seeking mutually acceptable solution to the bilateral issues between North Macedonia and Bulgaria was expressed during the meeting of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Gabriel Escobar, who is paying Monday a working visit to Skopje. Escobar has been also appointed as US special envoy for the Western Balkans. The partnership between the United States and North Macedonia and the country’s EU membership are very important for Skopje and Washington, said the government in a press release on the Zaev-Escobar meeting. Informing the visiting US official about the current political developments in the country, PM Zaev said a stable continuity has been provided of the strategic political commitment to North Macedonia’s active NATO participation, the country’s accelerated integration to the EU, the handling of the pandemic, to economic growth, as well as adequate and efficient response to the energy crisis. “Escobar said that his visit to the country aims at highlighting the US support for these issues as well as to the partnership demonstrated by North Macedonia by sheltering Afghan citizens and for the active role in intensifying regional cooperation through the Open Balkan initiative,” said the press release.