Defence Minister Zoran Jolevski and Chief of ARM General Staff LTC General Gorancho Koteski today (December 4th), had separate meetings with KFOR Commander Major General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo during his official visit to ARM General Staff.
During the meeting with KFOR Commander Figliuolo, Minister Jolevski stressed the support of the Republic of Macedonia to NATO KFOR mission, and the role of Macedonia in terms of security and stability in the region.
During the meeting with General Koteski it was discussed about possibilities for boosting cooperation with KFOR, the security situation in the region, as well as exchange of information with ARM. General Figliuolo informed the Chief of General Staff on the security situation in the zone of responsibility of KFOR, as well as on the activities and future plans.
The conclusion from the both meetings is that ARM and KFOR have established excellent cooperation and that in the future it will continue to develop in the interests of strengthening security in the region.
As part of the KFOR mission, Macedonia provides ongoing logistical support for NATO from the very beginning. As is known, in June 2007, in full operational readiness was put the Coordinative Centre for Support of the Host Country, which is a formation within the ARM Logistics Support Brigade. Its main task is to coordinate with KFOR in customs and border procedures of transportation, including other needs of KFOR in the area of providing logistical support, making ARM an indirect participant in the KFOR mission. This contribution of the Republic of Macedonia is significantly valued and supported by NATO.
International peacekeeping forces, KFOR under NATO command, Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy, have been operating in Kosovo since June 1999, in accordance with Resolution 1244 of the Security Council of the UN. According to the Resolution, KFOR volunteers troops from just over 4,000 soldiers provide security in Kosovo.
