MACEDONIA REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE FOR MANPADS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SKOPJE 000885 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND PM/WRA (MARK ADAMS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2016 TAGS: PARM PREL MARR MK SUBJECT: MACEDONIA REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE FOR MANPADS DESTRUCTION REF: A. ADAMS-PFEUFFER EMAIL 7/6/06 ¶B. PFEUFFER-WOHLERS EMAIL 7/7/06 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(a) & (b). ¶1. (U) Please see guidance request in para 4. ¶2. (C) Following EmbOff and DAO discussions with MFA and MOD contacts over the past several months, and after lengthy delays due to national elections and the formation of a new government, the MOD on September 12 sent an official letter of request to the Embassy asking for USG assistance in destroying Macedonia's remaining stocks of "Strela 2M" MANPADS. As reported in ref-emails, Macedonia has approximately 54 Strela 2M (SA-7) MANPADS in its inventory, all of which it is prepared to destroy. That would leave the GOM with an active inventory of eight Strela 10M (SA-13) and five Igla (SA-16) systems for its air defense. ¶3. (SBU) Unedited English-language text of the letter follows: Ministry of Defense Republic of Macedonia Skopje, September 12, 2006 Your Excellency: Allow me on behalf of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Macedonia and my personal behalf to express my satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation between our two countries, and to extend my gratitude for the generous support that the United States of America has been giving to the Republic of Macedonia, the Ministry of Defense and the Army of the Republic of Macedonia in the Euro-Atlantic integration process. I would like to use this opportunity to inform you that we are pleased to accept your assistance in the process of destroying the portable air defense systems "Strela - 2M." I personally believe that this activity is of mutual interest and will be another confirmation of our successful cooperation. I sincerely hope that our cooperation will continue to expand. Respectfully, Lazar Elenovski Defense Minister of the Republic of Macedonia H.E. Gillian Milovanovic Ambassador U.S. Embassy to the Republic of Macedonia End text of MOD letter. ¶4. (SBU) Guidance Request: Embassy requests Department provide information on next steps required to secure USG funding to support the destruction of Macedonia's MANPADS. MILOVANOVIC