A delegation of ARM led by ARM Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Metodija Velichkovski is participating in the Conference of the US National Guard Partner Countries, held in Garmisch, Germany.
The participation of the Macedonian senior military delegation at the conference, which is organized by the United States European Command (EUCOM), is of particular importance for the ARM because of the possibility to exchange information relevant to safety and enhance mutual military cooperation in dealing with current security risks.
The conference brings together representatives of the armed forces of member states of the Partnership Programme with the National Guard of the United States, including Chiefs of Staff and other senior military leaders.
The focus of the conference is at mutual constellations of partner countries of the National Guard in the period after the Warsaw NATO Summit, as well as reviewing the forms and ways of further military cooperation.
During the conference General Velichkovski had meetings with senior military representatives from EUCOM, the US National Guard and armed forces participating in the conference; the meetings primarily focused on further promotion of mutual military cooperation.
US National Guard Partnership Programme with armies of Europe originating from the former Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union and former Warsaw Pact in the area of responsibility of EUCOM originated in 1993, when ARM began its military cooperation with the National Guard of Vermont.
The main goal of the Partnership Program is to promote a common approach, building military capabilities and enhancing mutual interoperability, thus contributing to European and wider international stability.
In 2008, as part of the cooperation programme, the ARM units participated jointly with the Vermont National Guard units in the task force “Phoenix” in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. In addition, each year joint training, exercises and meetings at the highest military level are carried out with this partnered National Guard.
