---pagebreak--- 29.12.2004 PT Jornal Oficial da União Europeia L 388/5 COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION Brussels, 7 December 2004 H.E. Mr Sasko STEFKOV, Ambassador, Head of the Mission of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the European Communities. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today’s date. The European Community and its Member States notes that the Exchange of Letters between the European Community and its Member States and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which takes the place of signature of the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union, has been accomplished and that this cannot be interpreted as acceptance or recognition by the European Community and its Member States in whatever form or content of a denomination other than the «former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia». Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration. For the European Community and its Member States