Macedonia’s accession to NATO under the provisional reference “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” is an open solution, says Defense Minister Zoran Konjanovski in an interview with the Macedonian Service of Voice of America.

“We are members of a number of world institutions with the provisional name, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I see that solution open too unless the problem imposed on us concerning our constitutional name is resolved fast,” Konjanovski said.

Minister Konjanovski says in his interview with Voice of America that during his visit to the USA, he informed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on the defense reforms and the Macedonian contribution to the mission in Afghanistan.

According to him, Secretary Gates was impressed by the reforms and thanked for the Macedonian Army soldiers’ contribution to the peacekeeping missions.

The Macedonian defense delegation headed by Minister Konjanovski and the head of the Macedonian Army General Staff, Miroslav Stojanovski, are paying an official visit to Canada Thursday.