Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SKOPJE885
2006-09-19 05:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:  

MACEDONIA REQUESTS USG ASSISTANCE FOR MANPADS

Tags:  PARM PREL MARR MK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSQ #0885 2620543
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 190543Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5174
INFO RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
REHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0010
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3628
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2081
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2060
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
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).

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