Speeches, Remarks & Statements in 2009

Remarks by Chargé Tom Navratil at the Closing Ceremony for the U.S. Department of Defense’s International Counter-Proliferation Program/Defense Threat Reduction Agency “Weapons of Mass Destruction National Crisis Command Center Exercise”

Crisis Management Center of Republic of Macedonia

Saturday, September 26, 2009 at 3:00 pm

Director Dr. Lazarevski, Lt. Colonel Haley, ladies, gentlemen; it is a great pleasure to be  here at the Crisis Management Center of Republic of Macedonia for today’s Closing Ceremony of the “Weapons of Mass Destruction National Crisis Command Center Exercise”.

This exercise is one of the many examples of strategic partnership between the United States and the Republic of Macedonia. It illustrates the continued support of the American people for the people of Macedonia and demonstrates the close partnership between our two countries. 

The U.S. Department of Defense, through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, has conducted twenty local and regional training courses with GOM participants since 2001. The goal of this program is to enhance Macedonia’s ability to deter, detect, investigate and respond to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).  The program includes equipment donations as part of the training.  Since the first class in 2001 we have donated over 900,000 dollars worth of equipment to participating Macedonian agencies.

Of course, our biggest and most important investment is in the people of Macedonia who attend training courses like this.  You are the key to stopping the illicit movement of weapons.  That is why we recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Macedonian government to ensure the correct people receive training and that these trained individuals are kept in positions where their work can benefit the country.  

This joint American and Macedonian exercise improves our interoperability in addressing the threat posed by WMDs.  I also hope it increases interagency cooperation and coordination in responding to threats posed by these weapons.   The goal of our combined efforts is to make Macedonia and the world a safer place.  Thank you for joining us in this cause.

To the graduates of this program, I want to say thank you for the time and dedication you gave this course.  The work you do benefits all of the citizens of Macedonia and people throughout the region by keeping WMDs away from those who would use them against peaceful societies.