The Minister of Defense Fatmir Besimi and U.S. Ambassador Paul Wohlers paid respect to Joseph Kruzel on Sunday – attestation of the first cooperation memorandum between the Republic of Macedonia and the United States. Flowers were laid on the bust erected in the Training Center bearing his name to mark the anniversary since his death.

Addressing the event, Minister Besimi said that the first bilateral cooperation treaty in the field of defense between Macedonia and the U.S. was constantly being upgraded since its signing, which was confirmed with the countries' partnership.

"The United States has helped us since the onset of Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic integration, starting from the admission into the Partnership for Peace - a project initiated by Kruzel, amongst others. The first step towards NATO was made then and we are still working to meet the goal. When we talk about friendships in Macedonia, we say 'in good times we make new friendships, in bad times we reinforce the existing ones'. The US is our true friend, because you have been with us in good times and in bad," he stated.

He also referred to global challenges in relation to defense and security.

"We face the same challenges in meeting the common goal - peace and stability. And not just in Macedonia. I am pleased as a defense minister that Macedonia is part of the nations involved in international peacekeeping missions, where Macedonian troops together with their U.S. peers are in service of world peace," the Minister noted.

The Training Center in the "Goce Delcev" military barracks has been named after Joseph Kruzel since 1996. The center aims at meeting NATO standards, which are necessary to achieve compatibility with the NATO forces.

U.S. diplomat Joseph Kruzel was killed 17 years ago when his military vehicle plummeted down a mountainside cliff while on a diplomatic mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.