27.10.2022.
Chair of NATO Military Committee visiting Serbia
The Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, who is visiting the Republic of Serbia at the invitation of the Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, met today with the Assistant Minister for Defence Policy, Predrag Bandić. The two officials discussed regional security and cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and NATO.
Assistant Minister Bandić said that Serbia's military neutrality, as a strategic commitment, did not pose an obstacle for cooperation with NATO, but that Serbia had no ambition to become a NATO member. He said that the long-term cooperation within the Partnership for Peace Program was intensive and substantial but that there was still room for improvement.He said that the Republic of Serbia was strongly committed to bringing greater stability to the region through the strengthening of mutual trust and cooperation, which was the best form of support for the further economic development of the region and prosperity of all the citizens.
According to Bandić, the secession of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija poses a major security threat for the Republic of Serbia, but the Serbian side is committed to reaching a peaceful resolution to all the problems through talks with Pristina, while fully respecting the UNSC Resolution 1244 and the Military Technical Agreement.
Serbia strongly opposes the creation of the so-called "Kosovo army", he said, and remains firm on its position that KFOR is the only legitimate armed formation in Kosovo and Metohija, which is the most responsible for maintaining peace and security in the southern Serbian province.
According to the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, two weeks ago, NATO defence ministers reaffirmed their continued support for the KFOR mission and its task of maintaining a safe and secure environment, in accordance with the UN mandate. He said that several NATO members had announced that they would increase their support for the KFOR mission, which was a clear sign of their permanent commitment to this mission.
Admiral Bauer underlined that the partnership with Serbia was highly valued by NATO and emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces and NATO within the Partnership for Peace Program.
He highlighted Serbia’s role in the region, saying that NATO respected Serbia's military neutrality. He also praised the professionalism of Serbian soldiers and the contribution of the Serbian Armed Forces to UN and EU peacekeeping missions.
At the end of the meeting, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee thanked the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Armed Forces for providing him with an opportunity to hold a lecture tomorrow at the Military Academy of the Defence University.
In addition to the meeting with the Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović , and the meeting at the Ministry of Defence, Admiral Bauer’s delegation will also be received by the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEOGALLERY27.10.2022
mp4 (40,48 MB)The meeting
