Skopje, 23 November 2022 (MIA) – The first strategic dialogue in defense between North Macedonia and France began Wednesday with a meeting between a delegation from the French Ministry of Defense led by Vice-Admiral Christophe Lucas and a team from the Macedonian Ministry of Defense, said the Ministry in a press release on Wednesday. The cooperation between North Macedonia and France, two NATO allies, is gaining new intensity, especially after the finalization of the Agreement on Cooperation which was recently signed in Paris by the Macedonian Minister of Defense Slavjanka Petrovska and her French colleague, Minister Sébastien Lecornu. The aim of the strategic dialogue, according to the Ministry, is to strengthen the bilateral defense cooperation in joint military training, missions, education and the mutual support in meeting NATO’s capability objectives. The French delegation, led by Vice-Admiral Christophe Lucas held a meeting with Defense Minister Petrovska, at which both interlocutors expressed their satisfaction with the establishment of the strategic dialogue on defense, as the best proof of the mutual determination to effectively implement the agreed cooperation in practice. “This is the beginning of a new period of cooperation in defense between North Macedonia and France. France is an important ally that supported North Macedonia’s NATO membership and is lending its support to the country’s EU integration process. North Macedonia as a NATO member contributes to peace and security in the Balkans. We are beginning a strategic dialogue which will deepen the cooperation in defense with our ally France, with which we share the same values,” said Minister Petrovska. Vice-Admiral Lucas expressed his satisfaction with the successful beginning of the strategic dialogue and stressed the importance of North Macedonia as a NATO ally which actively contributes to peace and security. At the meeting, it was concluded that the Alliance stands united in its condemnation of the Russian invasion on Ukraine and in NATO’s determination to project stability, while at the same time strengthening collective security. “The procurement of the air defense system, for which an agreement was signed between North Macedonia and France, is another strong signal that the two countries are cooperating at the highest level and that the Army of North Macedonia is intensively modernizing with the most modern and sophisticated equipment,” said the Ministry of Defense in the press release. In the context of the European Union, Defense Minister Petrovska stated that North Macedonia is fully aligned with the Union’s foreign, security and defense policy and that a quick and efficient accession process is necessary for the country and the region. The Ministry pointed out that the bilateral defense cooperation between North Macedonia and France is characterized by meetings at the highest level, as well as cooperation in the field of language training, strategic consultations in defense, and military education. ad/sk/