04.03.2016.

Bilateral defence consultations between Serbia and USA

Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic and Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic spoke yesterday with Deputy Assistant US Secretary of Defence for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Dr. Michael Carpenter while today bilateral defence consultations between Serbia and the USA were held.

During the discussion it was pointed out that the bilateral military cooperation is the most developed segment of the overall relations between the two countries.

The interlocutors emphasized that the multi-layered and comprehensive cooperation contributes to raising the operational and functional abilities of both sides, with the emphasis on several key cooperation projects and programmes, such as the development of the South Base, improvement of the capabilities for participation of MoD and SAF members in peacekeeping operations, joint exercises and training. They stressed the importance of military medical cooperation as well as cooperation with the Ohio National Guard through the State Partnership Program, which this year recorded ten years from the establishment.

Minister Djordjevic pointed out that the Republic of Serbia was satisfied with the level of cooperation achieved in the framework of Partnership for Peace programme, and that such a framework is fully satisfactory, taking into account the fact that the Republic of Serbia is a military neutral country and that there is no aspiration for full membership of the Alliance.

Carpenter has made positive assessment of the overall relations in the field of defence between the two countries and stressed the importance of areas of cooperation which are based on the programmes of Foreign Military Financing (FMF), the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) and the International Military Education and Training (IMET).

During the bilateral consultations, the political and security situation in the region was discussed in detail, with special reference to the current migrant crisis.

At the same time, they stressed that there is room for its improvement in certain segments, in accordance with the interests of both sides. In this context, future areas of cooperation that will enhance the overall contents of the military-to-military relations were defined.