Skopje, 15 March 2022 (MIA) — North Macedonia, as a NATO member state, wants to develop close defense relations with important allies such as Qatar and this is just the beginning of a fruitful cooperation, said Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska at today's meeting with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah in his first official visit to the country. According to the Ministry of Defense, the two defense ministers talked about the international security situation and agreed that dialogue was the shortest path to peace and stability around the world. “We appreciate Qatar's role in advancing global security. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the help and support from Qatar last September during the evacuation of Macedonian citizens from Afghanistan,” Minister Petrovska said. She said North Macedonia was ready to sign a memorandum of cooperation in defense with Qatar and develop a plan of activities together. “The potential for close defense cooperation is really great,” Petrovska said. "The Krivolak military training center offers excellent exercise opportunities to benefit both armed forces. Bearing in mind the negative impact of misinformation and fake news, we are also developing a center for dealing with these threats and this can be another great opportunity for bilateral cooperation.” She said North Macedonia and the Army were open for cooperation also through the Pilot Training Center and joint investments in infrastructure. Qatari Deputy PM and Minister of Defense Al Attiyah said North Macedonia was an important friend and partner of Qatar and expressed readiness to develop defense cooperation. He congratulated North Macedonia on its NATO membership and agreed there were excellent opportunities for defense cooperation. His several-day visit, he added, was aimed toward developing concrete steps for cooperation. During the visit, the Qatari delegation will visit the Krivolak military training center as well as meet top government officials. Qatar is part of the NATO Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. The Alliance cooperates with the country through its Individual Partnership Cooperation Program and the Science for Peace and Security Program. The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative was launched at the 2004 NATO Summit and, in addition to Qatar, includes Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. mr/