The Chiefs of Defence of the U.S.-Adriatic Charter (A-5) member countries together with the leaders of the U.S. European Command started the twenty-sixth conference of the A5 initiative today in Skopje. This year the topic is related to the modern security challenges and opportunities.
In his welcoming speech, the conference host, the Chief of Defence of the Republic of North Macedonia, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “The A5 initiative has been recognized as one of the most successful and effective regional events for addressing common security and defense challenges. Together, we have developed a mechanism to support mutual security and defense objectives. We have developed a mechanism to support our member and partner countries in their integration ambitions and efforts. With our US EUCOM partners, we constantly identify modern security challenges and work on common approaches and appropriate responses.” said Gjurchinovski.
The Commander of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the US European Command, General Christopher Cavoli, welcomed the attendees and emphasized the importance of the initiative: “The senseless and illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia reminded us of the value and importance of collective defense and collective territorial integrity. All the countries that are represented in the initiative had significant military cooperation programs and participate as partners and allies in the modernization of NATO in the concept of collective defense. The invasion reminds us that we need to work on security every day and the events that are happening in this region show us that we all have to contribute to the stability daily.”
In her address, the Minister of Defense, Slavjanka Petrovska, emphasized that on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of this initiative, we can say that it brought tangible results:
“The results of the action and cooperation of this initiative are more than visible and widely recognized. Four of its five members are full members of the NATO alliance, but we also jointly contributed to the support of international peace and international operations initially as A3, and today as A5. Our joint contribution to the ISAF mission and Resolute Support was widely recognized and highly valued by our allies,” said the minister.
Petrovska expressed her gratitude for the continuous American support, which, she underlined, was the strongest drive for the realization of the Euro-Atlantic agendas of the Charter members. In addition, the Minister referred to the Concept of Revitalization, the implementation of which began under the presidency of North Macedonia, and through which mutual cooperation was intensified and new ideas and projects were developed.
The President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, who addressed the participants during the conference, emphasized that since its establishment, the Adriatic Charter has largely fulfilled the initial goal, which is the promotion and implementation of the NATO “open door policy”, which is evidenced by the fact that, practically, four of the five member countries of the initiative are already members of the alliance. The stability and prosperity of the region are one of the top foreign-political priorities of North Macedonia. With such commitments to peace and security, dialogue, shared responsibility, and active engagement, we took over the presidency of the US-Adriatic Charter this year. With our proactive approach and initiative to strengthen the political dimension and relevance of the Adriatic Charter, we once again prove our role and contribution to the stabilization and prosperity of the region.
At the conference, in addition to presenting conference working group activities so far and a program proposal for future activities, as in per topic, the current security challenges and threats in the information environment, increasingly used for aggressive purposes against all democratic societies, especially after the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, will be presented.
During the conference, the CHODs of the A5 armies will have a discussion, after which in the afternoon they will sign a joint statement confirming the commitment to further strengthening relations and expanding and deepening military cooperation in all areas, with the aim of supporting and strengthening regional security.
The Army of the Republic of North Macedonia conducts activities as the Alliance full member and has repeatedly confirmed its commitment to the founding principles of the US – Adriatic Charter signed in Tirana in May 2003, which is prosperity and Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries of the region.
Besides the Chief of the Defense of the Republic of North Macedonia, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski as the host, the commander of the US Army European Command, General Christopher Cavoli, the CHOD of the Armed Forces of Albania, Brigadier General Kingji, CHOD the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lieutenant General Senat Mashovikj, Director of GS of the Croatian Armed Forces, Admiral Robert Hranj, CHOD of the Armed Forces of Montenegro, Brigadier General Zoran Lazarevikj, Lieutenant General Stephen Kelsey from the Allied Joint Force Command Naples and Major General Daniel Lasica of the US EUCOM attend the conference.
Observers and military representatives from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Slovenia, the General Staff of the Serbian Army and the Kosovo Security Forces attend the conference. The Commanders of the United States National Guards: Vermont, Minnesota, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, Colorado, New Jersey and Maine, which are partners of the A5 countries, attend the conference as guests.
The forming of the US-Adriatic Charter was signed in 2003, which in addition to the United States as a patron, the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania and Croatia committed to develop the regional cooperation in the field of defense through an institutional framework. In 2008, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro joined the initiative, and Serbia, Kosovo and Slovenia have a status of observer.
Meetings in the format of the Armies Chiefs of Defense are held once a year, at which issues in the field of military education, military-technical cooperation, peace support operations and other current topics in the field of defense and security are discussed.
The Republic of North Macedonia previously hosted the 19th and 21st US-Adriatic Charter (A-5) CHOD Conference.
