Ukraine Is Not Supplying Weapons to Macedonia

In the current year Ukraine has not delivered arms to Macedonia, Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule of that country reported in Kyiv on March 25. According to Mr. Casule, the issue connected with deliveries of heavy arms from Ukraine to Macedonia “is already over,” and both states are ready to cooperate in this sphere “on new terms,” reported Interfax-Ukraine.

Representatives from NATO, the European Union, and USA continue to insist that Ukraine must not supply munitions and hardware to Macedonia. The August 2001 Okhrid agreements precisely stated the same. Kyiv assured that no new deliveries were being planned. In October 2001 Presidents Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine and Boris Trajkovski of Macedonia expressed their intention to continue military and technical cooperation, proceeding from the necessity to stabilize the situation in Macedonia and taking into account world principles of international security. In January 2002 in Kyiv the commanders of the Ukrainian and the Macedonian Armed Forces Headquarters in the course of the negotiations discussed the issue of upgrading and technical maintenance of Macedonian military hardware. In part, the talks dealt with the issue of setting up a tank maintenance center. Ukrainian-Macedonian military-technical cooperation opportunities were discussed during the meeting of Premier Minister Anatoly Kinakh and the Macedonian Minister, reports Interfax- Ukraine. No details have yet been disclosed.

In his turn, the Ukrainian Premier has also declared his wish that Ukraine should develop its relations with Macedonia on a long-term and systematic basis. According to him, the potential based on the high-level confidence between the two peoples and the applicable economical opportunities of two countries will help this development.

Mr. Casule, reports Interfax-Ukraine, at his meeting with Premier Anatoly Kinakh, expressed his appreciation to Ukraine for its help to Macedonia. When his country faced real difficulties, said the Macedonian minister, Ukrainians behaved like real Cossacks. “And I know the true worth of that,” he said.