TIRANA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia and the United States have signed a document to expand and deepen cooperation between the two sides in various fields, news reaching here from Skopje reported on Thursday.

    The declaration of strategic partnership and cooperation was signed by Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki and the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday in Washington.

    Under the declaration, the United States reaffirms its support for Macedonia's "sovereignty and territorial integrity", guaranteeing its security within the existing borders.

    The United States and Macedonia will seek to enhance their economic ties and strengthen the competitiveness of Macedonia's economy, the declaration said.

    The two countries also seek to build closer and more robust bonds between their citizens and promote educational and cultural exchange.

    The signing of the declaration came after Macedonia's NATO bid was vetoed by Greece over a name dispute at the start of the alliance's last month summit in Bucharest, Romania.

    Athens opposes to the name of "Republic of Macedonia", arguing that it might lead Macedonia to make territorial claims over its own northern province of the same name.

    "The United States strongly supports the accession of Macedonia to NATO as soon as the name dispute can be reconciled," Rice said." We hope that that will happen very, very soon, because Macedonia deserves to be a member."