It of course has been a great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Gruevski to Canberra today.
We have just signed documents to conclude a social security agreement that will make retirement easier for up to 4,000 residents of both countries. From 2011, when the agreement is expected to commence, people who have spent part of their adult lives in Australia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will have access to pensions from both countries.
This agreement reflects the close people-to-people links that we have between our countries, and it is the first formal agreement concluded between our two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations 14 years ago, in October of 1995.
Today, the Prime Minister and I have just had a working lunch, where we discussed the impact of the global economic crisis and our shared commitments to assisting Afghanistan at this difficult time. Both our nations are democracies and both our nations are committed to making a strong contribution to international affairs.
The Prime Minister is a welcome guest in our country and I am pleased that we have been able to conclude this agreement here today in honour of his visit, and I would ask the Prime Minister to make some remarks.
Thank you.