22.06.2017.

Distinguished Visitors Day at Platinum Wolf 17 international exercise

Minister of Defence Zoran Đorđević, Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Ljubisa Diković, with members of the collegium, US Ambassador Kyle Scott and Ambassador of the United Kingdom Denis Keefe, attended today the Distinguished Visitors Day at the Platinum Wolf international exercise at the South military base near the town of Bujanovac.

The ten-day Platinum Wolf 17 exercise, apart from members of the Serbian Armed Forces, brought together the units of the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, the United States of America, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and Montenegro.

Speaking about the exercise, Minister Đorđević pointed out that the South base is being developed with certain dynamics with the help of US donations, and the progress is visible year after year.

- This training area will get a completely different look and it will be a modern training ground for both our armed forces and for multinational exercises like this one. At today's demonstration within the fourth edition of the Platinum Wulf exercise, 483 members from eight countries and Serbia took part, of which 99 members constituted logistical support, Minister of Defence pointed out, adding that this type of exercise will continue in the future as it provides an opportunity to practice both tactics and techniques, but also to strengthen our operational capabilities and interoperability.

According to Minister Đorđević, it is an opportunity for people to meet, as well as to strengthen friendship between our countries, and, he added, we will continue with cherishing the tradition of this type, as well as more complex exercises in the future. The Minister of Defence also thanked the present ambassadors who supported the organization of this exercise and who were attending the presentation.

Speaking to the participants in the exercise, Minister Đorđević expressed his satisfaction that he had opportunity to see what they had learned and mastered together over the past ten days.

- With this military exercise you showed that, working together as a team, nine countries can work as one and that in such situations we are ready to respond to all challenges and threats. Unfortunately, there are needs for such things in the world and it will surely be so in the years ahead, but we will all together be those who will be present there as guarantors of security, being thus trained, to establish peace in these parts of the world - Minister Đorđević pointed out congratulating the participants on a successfully conducted exercise with the desire that they participate in exercises with members of the Serbian Armed Forces also in the following years.

After the presentation, General Diković thanked all the students of the Platinum Wolf exercise, adding that the final part of the exercise was shown today after ten days of joint training at the South base.

- The exercise is very well organized and prepared, and the point is bringing soldiers from different countries shoulder to shoulder in peacekeeping missions, a high degree of trust between soldiers and senior officers on these tasks and great understanding among all participants in the exercise – the Chief of General Staff said, adding that we need such exercises and we will carry them out also in the future even with a greater number of participants, assets and materiel.

Ambassador Scott expressed his satisfaction that he was able to see a realistic scenario in peacekeeping operations, as well as the joint work of American and Serbian soldiers together with colleagues from other countries.

- I am extremely proud to see this exercise at the South base, the base where we, together with Serbia, invested more than seven million dollars in order for it to be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and simulators so that soldiers could exercise in real conditions without being exposed to danger, Ambassador Scott said, adding that joint exercises are an excellent opportunity for members of our armed forces to prepare for the participation in peacekeeping operations around the world wherever they need it.

Speaking about the exercise, British Ambassador Keefe stressed that he was very pleased that members of the military of that country participated in the Platinum Wolf.

- It has been for the first time in this century that our soldiers officially took part in an exercise with Serbian colleagues, which is very important for me, especially because this year marks 180 years of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Serbia - Ambassador Keefe pointed out, adding that he hoped that the cooperation would be so successful in other areas as well.

It was at the South base that a joint session of the collegium of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of General Staff took place this morning.