The Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski today, for the first time as a full-fledged member, participated in the 183rd regular session of the NATO Military Committee (MC), the Alliance highest military advisory body.
At the meeting, which is being held for the first time via teleconference, the Chiefs of Staff of the 30 member states discussed current operations, missions, activities and operational commitments to build stability and strengthen partnerships, according to the agenda.
In his opening remarks at the beginning of the meeting chaired by the Chairman of the MC, Air Chief Marshal, Sir Stewart Pitch, welcomed the membership of the Republic of North Macedonia in NATO and the first participation of General Gjurchinovski in this session as a full-fledged member of this body. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, also, delivered opening remarks, announcing the conclusions of the last meeting of the defense ministers to the Chiefs of Staff.
In his address, General Gjurchinovski reiterated our full commitment and dedication in the cooperation with the Allies in order to improve security in the region and globally, this time as a full-fledged member state. At the same time, gratitude was expressed for the support for NATO accession and for the assistance provided by the allies in dealing with the current global health crisis.
At the conference, which was attended by the Chiefs of Staff, the Supreme Commanders of the Allied Powers in Europe and the Allied Command Transformation, Generals Ted Waters and André Lanata, discussed the role of NATO in the current crisis caused by Covid-19 and the possibilities for further support of the allies who will express their need for it.
The Chiefs of General Staff, among other things, discussed the NATO missions, including the permanent training mission in Afghanistan Resolute Support, in which the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia participates with its staff from the very beginning. The leaders discussed the importance of preserving the achievements made in the last 19 years and the possible future engagement in Afghanistan.
The Chiefs of Defence Military Committee meets twice a year at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, and meet once a year in an allied member state. The daily work of this body is performed by the permanent Military Representatives at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
