Rumsfeld: United States to Continue Support of Macedonia on Road to NATO

13/10/2004

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Skopje earlier this week, vowing continued support for Macedonia's quest to join NATO. But he noted the outcome would depend on the country's success in implementing all aspects of the Ohrid Framework Agreement.

By Marija Lazarova for Southeast European Times in Skopje -- 13/10/04

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (left) and Macedonian counterpart Vlado Buckovski signed a bilateral co-operation agreement on halting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. [Tomislav Georgiev]

During a visit to Macedonia on Monday (11 October) US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Washington would continue to assist the country in its efforts to join NATO. Rumsfeld met with Prime Minister Hari Kostov, President Branko Crvenkovski, Defence Minister Vlado Buckovski and Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva.

"The success in becoming a NATO member will largely depend on the success in implementing the Framework Agreement, which includes stronger and more effective local self-government units," Rumsfeld said. "The legislation passed this August will certainly help democracy strengthen in the grassroots. The Macedonian people are facing a choice of a future with NATO and the EU where stability and economic growth can thrive, or a return to the past."

Buckovski and Rumsfeld signed an agreement on bilateral co-operation regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Rumsfeld said it "opens the way for our two nations in further fighting against this challenge".

"I think this visit is a confirmation of a new coalition," Buckovski said. "Macedonia is a part of the anti-terrorism coalition on the side of the progressive world. As a result, I believe it will fulfil its strategic goals and become a member of NATO and the EU. Clearly, we can make it faster and simpler with US support."

Kostov briefed Rumsfeld on an appeal sent to the EU's Proxima police mission, asking that its mandate be extended for another year. Rumsfeld was also informed that the required 20 per cent threshold for employing members of the ethnic Albanian community in the interior ministry has been reached.

"[Rumsfeld] confirmed the progress our country has made in five years, in particular in implementing the Framework Agreement," read a press release from Kostov's office.

Crvenkovski said Macedonia would continue to be a sincere and reliable US partner as part of the global anti-terror coalition. During his meeting with Rumsfeld, he raised the issue of three Macedonian nationals who went missing in Iraq. Rumsfeld said the United States would "engage completely and do everything in its power to discover what happened to the three", according to a statement from the president's press office.

During his visit, Rumsfeld awarded honours to four Macedonian soldiers -- Stojance Patarovski, Marjanco Misackovski, Gorgi Stankovski and Stavre Cicevski. As members of the Macedonian Army Special Task Force in Iraq, they took part in an operation to rescue US soldiers.