BELGRADE, 21 May 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, today met with his Special Representative for the Western Balkans Ambassador Gérard Stoudmann, following the ambassador’s visit to Skopje last week. Stoudmann informed Dačić about the discussions he had in Skopje with representatives of the government, political parties and NGOs, with the focus on the ongoing process of talks among Macedonian politicians aimed at overcoming the differences and finding a common ground.

„It is only through a constructive dialogue that a way forward can be found, and it must be a continuous process supported by all,“ Dačić said. „There is a locally-owned dialogue already underway in Skopje between four political leaders, observed by international representatives, and which ought to be sustained. In our experience, when we all join our efforts, it is the persistent search for a solution within an established format that ultimately yields results,“ he said.

The OSCE shall monitor the situation closely and it stands ready to offer its assistance to efforts aimed at moving the situation in a forward direction