Ukraine to Provide Macedonia with Service, Not Hardware

The Kyiv talks between Petro Shuliak, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Headquarters, and his Macedonian counterpart Metodi Stamboliski did not touch on additional supplies of Ukrainian munitions and hardware to Macedonia. The talks were dominated by the issue of upgrading and technical maintenance of the Macedonian military hardware both in Ukraine and in Macedonia, reports Interfax-Ukraine. In part, Mr. Stamboliski announced that the talks dealt with the issue of setting up a tank maintenance center. It will be located in Skopje, and Ukraine will provide specialists and spare parts. According to Mr. Shuliak, they also discussed the issue of the transit of Ukrainian peacekeepers across Macedonia. The draft agreement on the issues discussed has been sent to the Macedonian side and may be signed during the future visit of President Leonid Kuchma to Macedonia. At their meeting in the Crimea 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 the worldwide principles of international safety. Last year Ukraine supplied Macedonia with eight Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters and four Su-25 fighters. In October last year, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko confirmed supplies of 31 T72 tanks to Macedonia. The USA and NATO command demanded that Ukraine break off ammunition supplies to Macedonia before the operation of disarming Albanian militants began.