On Monday Minister of Defense Zoran Jolevski was accompanied by US Ambassador Jess Baily and Chief of ARM Staff Lieutenant General Metodija Velickovski at Krivolak military base to attend a bilateral military exercise running from Aug. 28 until Sept. 6.

The Operation Phalanx-Macedonia exercise, according to Minister Jolevski, is a proof of the good relations and high-level cooperation fostered between the armies of Macedonia and the United States.

“It was shown during the military drill how American structures are training Macedonian members of the military police to act in different scenarios… This exercise also contributes to evaluate (the interoperability) of ARM’s military police according to NATO standards,” stated Jolevski adding that the US army officials had already positively assessed the Macedonian Army.

Lieutenant General Metodija Velickovski called today’s military drill “successful”. “From what we have seen, the level of their training gives us certainty that the military police squadron will be positively evaluated,” said Velickovski.

Various practical forms of military trainings were demonstrated in the drill, including patrolling, tackling a mob, fighting in urban areas and firing with an automatic M4 rifle – the official weapon of the US army.