“Norway will keep supporting Macedonia's aspirations for NATO membership and I am sorry that the Alliance is not yet able to hand over an invitation to the country,” Norway's Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen said Wednesday in Skopje at a joint press conference with her host Defence Minister Fatmir Besimi.

She also expressed hope for the swift name row settlement.

Both ministers agreed that Norway "is a significant Macedonia's partner in realising of its strategic goal - the EU, NATO membership." They also expressed satisfaction with the excellent overall cooperation between the two countries.

"Macedonia is a credible partner and I hope that we shall keep developing our relations," Strom-Erichsen said. Norway will keep supporting Macedonia's defense reforms and assist in realizing projects, such as the transformation of the Regional Training Communication Center into a Partnership for Peace Training Center and the one for re-socialization the personnel leaving the army as a result of structural reform, she said.

“NATO remains Macedonia's strategic goal, which enjoys political consensus and public support,” Besimi said.

"NATO members and Norway may consider the Republic of Macedonia as a reliable partner in realizing the common goal for global peace," Besimi said.

He thanked Norway for donating a Role2 filed hospital to Macedonia, which will be formally handed over in the course of the 'Safe Road 2012' multinational military medical exercise.

Besimi presented a letter of appreciation to Strom-Erichsen over Norway's continuous support of Macedonia.