Besimi: Macedonia 'de facto' NATO member through contribution in peacekeeping missions
28. April 2012. | 13:37
Source: MIA
Besimi: Macedonia \'de facto\' NATO member through contribution in peacekeeping missions :: EMG :: SEE news
Macedonia's actions as 'de facto' NATO member is of enormous significance for the Alliance and the country's credibility, said Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi after his official visit to Berlin, in light of the NATO Chicago summit.
Federal Republic of Germany supports Republic of Macedonia over its NATO membership, expressing recognition and gratitude for the participation of Macedonian peacekeepers in international missions.
Macedonia's actions as 'de facto' NATO member is of enormous significance for the Alliance and the country's credibility, said Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi after his official visit to Berlin, in light of the NATO Chicago summit.
DM Besimi met with German colleague Thomas de Maiziere, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence, Christian Schmidt, as well as members of the Defence Committee of the German Bundestag, MIA reports.
According to him, full-fledged NATO membership remains Macedonia's strategic priority, adding that contribution to peacekeeping missions would continue, as well as reforms towards meeting Alliance standards.
"Pertaining to the Euro-Atlantic integration and significance of region's stability, we agreed that Macedonia 'de facto' acts and will continue to act as Alliance member, both with regards to reforms and international missions", Besimi said after the meetings.
Interlocutors highly assessed Macedonia-Germany cooperation in the defense field.
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence, Christian Schmidt said cooperation developed as if both countries were fully integrated in NATO.
"Macedonia's contribution in international missions truly deserves recognition. The issue of the timeframe regarding Macedonia's future membership in NATO and EU will depend from the removal of the existing obstacles", added Schmidt.
He emphasized that Macedonian troops in Afghanistan play an important role. Moreover, Schmidt said Germany would head a EU Battlegroup battalion in the second half of 2012, including Macedonian troops amongst others.
In the framework of the annual bilateral cooperation programmes, 115 Macedonian Army (ARM) members have attended Bundeswehr training centers thus far, along with numerous trainings for medical personnel. Macedonia's first contribution to the ISAF mission was realized as part of the German contingent in 2003.