Skopje, 14 October 2022 (MIA) – Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska and French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu signed a defense cooperation agreement in Paris on Friday. The first-ever such agreement follows the signing of the agreement over the procurement of French-made military equipment, the Defense Ministry said in a press release. Petrovska and Lecornu discussed cooperation between the countries’ defense ministries, developments in North Macedonia and the region, and voiced interest for enhancement of the collaboration between the two NATO allies. The agreement envisages the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries and contains bilateral cooperation in several areas, such as strategic defence policy, organization and operation of forces, participation in international operations, military exercises and training, as well as military education. “North Macedonia-France defense cooperation has seen strong development and is currently at its peak. The agreement will provide an added impetus to the cooperation in the field of military training and education of Army members at prestigious French military schools, as well as opportunities for joint development of capabilities and skills of members of armed forces, along with the development of interoperability of Krivolak army field,” said Petrovska. She highlighted the importance of intensifying the Western Balkans’ EU integration as an investment in the security and safety of the region but also Europe. As NATO allies, she added, we remain committed to building peace, security and stability in the area. We face the same challenges and we have to find common solutions. The key to a safe and prosperous future of the region lies in democratization and Europeanization of the Western Balkans. “For France, relations with North Macedonia remain a focal point in the ties with the Western Balkans. We exceptionally value your country’s contribution in NATO and EU,” said Lecornu. While in France, Minister Petrovska is set to meet with director of the Institute of Advanced Studies in National Defence, General Benoit Durieux, representatives of French company MBDA, and the Macedonian diaspora.