Skopje, 9 March 2023 (MIA) - Enhancement of parliamentary cooperation and utilization of all benefits of parliamentary diplomacy were in the focus of the meeting of Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi with a delegation of Israel's Knesset, led by Hamad Amar, chair of the North Macedonia friendship group, and Tsega Melaku, group member.

The meeting was also attended by Rashela Mizrahi, chair of the Parliament's group for cooperation with the Knesset, Parliament's Secretary General Cvetanka Ivanova, and Israeli Ambassador to North Macedonia, Simona Frankel, the Parliament said in a press release.

The Israeli delegation is visiting North Macedonia to attend the 80-year commemoration of the Jews' deportation to camp Treblinka in occupied Poland.

"The respect we attach to the Jewish community in our country is seen through the Holocaust Memorial Center in Skopje, which demonstrates our commitment to continued friendly ties with the State of Israel and enhancement of bilateral relations at all levels," said Speaker Xhaferi.

Xhaferi stressed that besides the strategic foreign policy priorities - NATO membership and EU accession negotiations - North Macedonia is also interested in strengthening its cooperation with Middle East countries in all fields of mutual interest.

"We highly value the constructive position of the State of Israel in the efforts to stabilize relations in the Middle East. Republic of North Macedonia welcomes and strongly supports all efforts to achieve permanent peace and stability in the region," said Xhaferi.

MP Amar said activities of the friendship groups are exceptionally important in the general development of bilateral relations between countries, while reaffirming that the Knesset is unanimous in its position that friendship with the Republic of North Macedonia is of great importance, reads the press release.

Photo: Parliament