High Commissioner in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The High Commissioner today addressed the Macedonian parliament in Skopje where she praised Macedonia for hosting hundreds of thousands of Kosovo refugees during the Kosovo crisis last Spring. Mrs Ogata spoke of difficulties and even misunderstandings between UNHCR and Macedonia at the height of the crisis but she noted that the spirit of co-operation prevailed. Later today, Mrs Ogata will travel to Albania - the last leg of her Balkan trip - before returning to Geneva.