24.10.2018.
Meeting between State Secretary Živković and Secretary Juusti
Aleksandar Živković, State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, has met today with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Finland, Jukka Juusti, to hold regular bilateral defence consultations.
During the meeting, it was emphasised that the regular holding of consultations in the field of defence policy was a significant step in the cooperation of the two countries, and that today's meeting is an opportunity to exchange views on the current political and security situation in the region.
According to State Secretary Živković, the Ministry of Defence is actively involved in the work of regional security initiatives and organisations operating in the area of Southeast Europe.Serbia is fully committed to military neutrality, State Secretary Živković emphasized and according to this orientation, the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Defence cooperate with partners in both the East and the West.
During the talks, State Secretary Živković told Secretary Juusti that the involvement of members of the Finnish AF in the KFOR mission is appreciated, especially bearing in mind the long tradition of the participation of representatives of Finland in KFOR, adding that the UN values in the field of peacekeeping operations are particularly attached importance, as confirmed by the fact that since 2002, Serbia has continuously been qualitatively and quantitatively improving its participation in UN and EU peacekeeping operations.
The overall relations of the two countries, as it was noted in conclusion of the meeting, leave possibility and room for improvement and shaping of defence cooperation in a way so as to reflect mutual interests.
Bearing in mind that one of the topics of today's conversation was military health, the Finnish delegation led by Secretary Juusti will visit the Military Medical Academy tomorrow, where they will be presented capacities that can be good basis for examining modalities for the possible establishment of military medical cooperation.
