Post by russkiivoin on Oct 19, 2005 23:54:10 GMT -5
Bulgaria Will Continue to Provide Military Assistance to Skopje
Bulgaria will continue to provide military assistance to Macedonia, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov underlined after his Tuesday meeting with Macedonian counterpart Vlado Popovski. who pays a two-day official visit to Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian Minister of Defence specified that future parameters of military assistance will remain unchanged with the exception of heavy weaponry.
Popovski said his country does not need more heavy weaponry but munition, training and exchange of experience in converting the army from the conscription to a professional one.
Bilateral military cooperation will go ahead on the basis of the Protocol for military cooperation for Year 2002 signed on Tuesday by Svinarov and Popovski. Both countries have applied for NATO membership.
Macedonia can use Bulgarian experience in building legislative groundwork for national defence and security, Popovski emphasized. He specifically underlined the assistance, which Sofia rendered to Skopje during the last 2 years and its vital role for ensuring Macedonia's sovereignty. Bulgaria sent Macedonia 94 T-55 tanks and 108 122 mm M-30 howitzers between May and November 1999 in pursuance of an April 1999 cooperation agreement. On March 7, 2001 Bulgaria and Macedonia signed, an Agreement on military - technical cooperation under which Skopje got 8 Mln. Euro worth of munitions and spare tools.
Asked weather the crisis in Macedonia could burst again this spring, Popovski mentioned that if indeed something similar happens, it won’t be of the same scale as before due to the different situation in the country. He pointed out that the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement and the Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia are developments that support his view. In his opinion, the Macedonian Albanians do not support new military offensive.
Bulgaria will continue to provide military assistance to Macedonia, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov underlined after his Tuesday meeting with Macedonian counterpart Vlado Popovski. who pays a two-day official visit to Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian Minister of Defence specified that future parameters of military assistance will remain unchanged with the exception of heavy weaponry.
Popovski said his country does not need more heavy weaponry but munition, training and exchange of experience in converting the army from the conscription to a professional one.
Bilateral military cooperation will go ahead on the basis of the Protocol for military cooperation for Year 2002 signed on Tuesday by Svinarov and Popovski. Both countries have applied for NATO membership.
Macedonia can use Bulgarian experience in building legislative groundwork for national defence and security, Popovski emphasized. He specifically underlined the assistance, which Sofia rendered to Skopje during the last 2 years and its vital role for ensuring Macedonia's sovereignty. Bulgaria sent Macedonia 94 T-55 tanks and 108 122 mm M-30 howitzers between May and November 1999 in pursuance of an April 1999 cooperation agreement. On March 7, 2001 Bulgaria and Macedonia signed, an Agreement on military - technical cooperation under which Skopje got 8 Mln. Euro worth of munitions and spare tools.
Asked weather the crisis in Macedonia could burst again this spring, Popovski mentioned that if indeed something similar happens, it won’t be of the same scale as before due to the different situation in the country. He pointed out that the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement and the Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia are developments that support his view. In his opinion, the Macedonian Albanians do not support new military offensive.
