02.09.2016.
Intensive cooperation with Germany in the field of defence
Regular Staff talks between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany were held in Berlin. The delegation of the Serbian Ministry of Defence was led by Major General Sladjan Djordjevic, Acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy, and the delegation included Colonel Dejan Cimbaljevic, Defence Attaché of the Republic of Serbia in Berlin and Lieutenant Colonel Goran Timotijevic from the Department for International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defence. The delegation of the Federal Ministry of Defence was composed of Captain Hans-Jörg Detlefsen, Deputy Director for the Defence Policy, Adviser Holger Kasch and the Lieutenant Colonel Ingo Gnoyke, German Defence Attaché in Belgrade.In an open and constructive discussion, it was pointed out that bilateral defence cooperation was intensive and wide, with space for its further development. Through repeated positions of the Republic of Serbia on the status of Kosovo and Metohija, gratitude was expressed for the good cooperation and professionalism in carrying out the tasks of the German contingent in KFOR.
Cooperation in areas of common engagement in multinational operations was particularly emphasized. German side stressed the importance of joint participation of members of the Serbian Armed Forces and the Bundeswehr in the EU mission in Mali, which gives a special quality to cooperation, but also interest in increasing the number of members of the medical team of the Serbian Armed Forces in the mission.
The importance of the engagement of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces with the police on securing the state border with Bulgaria and Macedonia, as well as assisting refugees in our country during the migrant crisis, through cooperation with the local authorities and the competent bodies, was highlighted.
In light of the current migratory crisis, it was pointed out that the intensive cooperation of intelligence and security structures of the two countries is necessary, which was confirmed also during the meeting with the Chief of the Military Intelligence Department Brigadier General Jürgen Brotz, and the arranged visit to Belgrade.
German side conveyed that the stability of the Western Balkans is the common interest of the two countries and that it will continue to support the Republic of Serbia in its European integration. They agreed to continue the German assistance to Serbian military education through programme "Assistance in training and education", as well as finding opportunities to create more visible results in the field of military economic cooperation. It was pointed out that the meetings at the highest level would complete the picture of the developed cooperation and give a strong impetus to its further intensification.
