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INFO
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MACEDONIA BIDS FAREWELL TO
KILLED ARM PEACEKEEPERS
The remains of eleven Macedonian Army (ARM) members, who were killed in a
helicopter crash accident near Katlanovo while coming back home from ALTHEA
mission in Bosnia & Herzegovina, were buried on Tuesday with highest
military honours and honorary salvo.
Lieutenant-Colonel Toni Spasovski, Sergeant-Major Toni Davitkovski, First
Class Sergeant Janko Siric, First Class Sergeant Aleksandar Taskovski and
First Class Sergeant Aleksandar Vasic, five out of the 11 peacekeepers, were
buried at Skopje cemetery Butel.
The funeral of Major Goran Ristovski was held at the cemetery of Kamnik
village (Skopje region), while the remains of Corporal Zlatko Veljanovski
were buried at the cemetery in Skopje's Dracevo settlement.
Funerals of First Class Sergeant Miki Ivanovski and Lieutenant Commander
Brane Spasovski took place in Kumanovo. Sergeant Major Slavco Vasilev and
Lieutenant Commander Igor Gjoreski were buried in Strumica and Gevgelija
respectively.
- You flew on earth as angels of peace, therefore we pray to the Lord for
you to resume your mission, but this time as angels of heaven, stressed
Commander of ARM's Aviation WING Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Lazarov,
bidding farewell to the killed Macedonian peacekeepers during the funeral
ceremony.
We are speechless, said Lazarov, by the discovery about your sudden and
fateful destiny which took you away too early from your families.
Sympathising with the enormous grief of your dear ones, today we bid
farewell from you. With great respect that you have deserved, for all you
have done professionally, for the cordial and correct relations you have had
with each of us, we take a bow before your catafalque bidding farewell from
you before your eternal home, their commander said.
Furthermore, he read a telegram sent by the Macedonian peacekeepers serving
in Afghanistan.
- You have worked as Macedonian Army members and have executed the most
noble task that a human being and a soldier can have - bringing peace and
well-being, reads, among other things, the telegram.
Final respect to the dead Macedonian peacekeepers at Butel cemetery by
laying wreaths were paid by President and Supreme Commander of Macedonian
Armed Forces Branko Crvenkovski, Parliament President Ljubisa Georguevski,
Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Defense Minister Lazar Elenovski, Army Chief
of Staff Miroslav Stojanovski, party delegations... and a great number of
citizens.
In addition to families, relatives and friends to the dead peacekeepers,
their sendoff to eternal homes was also attended by members of the
Government, MPs, representative of diplomatic corps, defense ministers from
several countries, military officials from all NATO member states, EUFOR
Commander, General Major Ignacio Villalaín...
All 11 ARM members died on Saturday when a helicopter MI-17 transporting
them back home in Macedonia following a six-month peacekeeping mission in
BiH crashed nearby Katlanovo. The causes of the accident are still unknown.
The Macedonian Government proclaimed the day of peacekeepers' funeral for
Day of Mourning. Flags are at a half-mast, while all events and
manifestations throughout the country have been cancelled. A commemorative
session was held yesterday in ARM Hall in Skopje where the Ministry of
Defense opened book of condolences.
UN SECURITY COUNCIL
TO REVIEW
UNMIK REPORT ON KOSOVO
The United Nations Security Council will convene Wednesday to review the
UNMIK report on the situation in Kosovo.
Serbian President Boris Tadic and Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci are
expected to address the Council.
"Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci will take part in the UN Security
Council session, as Libyan ambassador, whose country presides over the
Security Council currently, upheld Thaci's request to address the
ambassadors," Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci said.
He added it is of high importance for Kosovo to present the stands of the
institutions including Pristina's "serious engagement in the negotiations," |
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NEWS
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FM MILOSOSKI PROMOTES MACEDONIA'S
EU, NATO INTEGRATION IN MADRID
In the framework of the Alliance of Civilizations Forum in Madrid, Foreign
Minister Antonio Milososki met Tuesday with counterparts from Hungary,
Bulgaria, Portugal, Lithuania, Austria and Switzerland, Kinga Goncz, Ivaylo
Kalfin, Luis Amado, Petras Vaitiekunas, Ursula Plassnik, and Micheline
Calmy-Rey respectively.
According to Minister Milososki, meetings with Hungarian, Bulgarian,
Portuguese and Lithuanian FMs focused on regional developments and
Macedonia's expectation for NATO membership invitation.
Milososki reaffirmed Macedonia's position for sooner solution to the Kosovo
issue, which would contribute to the stability and economic development of
the entire region.
Interlocutors expressed gratitude on Macedonia's contribution in regional
frameworks, especially the fact that Macedonia hosts the logistics
NATO-center for operational services of KFOR members.
Pertaining to the expected NATO membership invitation at the Bucharest
Summit in April, Milososki's counterparts assessed that Alliance enlargement
with Adriatic Charter signatory-countries would represent a success both for
NATO and candidate-states.
Meeting with Austrian FM Plassnik tackled Macedonia's European integration,
and the dynamics in ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by EU member-states.
Foreign Minister Milososki reiterated the expectation that 2008 would be a
year when Macedonia obtains a date for beginning of accession talks with the
Union, based on the achieved progress and visible results of current
reforms.
"Macedonia's position is that the country is politically and
administratively ready to start EU accession talks", stressed Milososki.
FM Milososki and Swiss colleague Micheline Calmy-Rey exchanged opinions on
regional developments and the countries' approach towards the Kosovo issue.
"We referred top the ways in which bilateral relations could be additionally
enhanced", emphasized Milososki.
At the forum sidelines, Milososki met with New Zealand Minister of Education
and Ethnic Affairs, Chris Carter.
He informed the New Zealand minister on the Conference on Dialogue among
Religions, which Macedonia organized in October, seeing it as "our modest
contribution in the dialogue among civilizations".
Foreign Minister Milososki is scheduled to address the Alliance of
Civilizations Forum on Wednesday. |
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