20.08.2020.
International Military Cooperation Helps Strengthen our Independence, Peace and Security
In last several years, international military cooperation recorded significant results, both in the field of strengthening foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Serbia, and defence system reform, owing to which it actively contributes to raising the level of operational and functional capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces.
Protection of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of our country, preservation of peace and security in the region and world, enhancement of national security and defence through the process of European integration, military neutrality of Serbia, cooperation and partnerships with states and international organisations in the field of security and defence, are only some of the goals of international military cooperation, to which great attention is paid every day.
Through implementation of a range of measures, high-level meetings and active lobbying, international military cooperation contributes to non-recognition by international organisations of unilateral independence of so-called Kosovo proclaimed by Provisional Self-government Institutions of Priština, and to creation of conditions for cooperation with KFOR, as the sole guarantor of security in the area of the southern Serbian province in accordance with Resolution 1244 of the United Nations Security Council.Conduct of activities of international military cooperation supports strategic orientation of Serbia towards military neutrality, through a balanced approach which implies cooperation with all relevant subjects of international relations. Striving to present Serbia as a reliable, predictive and responsible partner, partnership relations are equally developed with both East and West, and bilateral cooperation has been advanced with neighbouring states and strategic partners such as the Russian Federation, United States of America, People’s Republic of China, states of the European Union and traditionally friendly countries.
International military cooperation has been intensified through numerous high-level and expert visits, conduct of joint exercises and military technical cooperation. Significant element of foreign and defence policy of Serbia is the engagement of members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces in multinational operations under the auspices of the United Nations, and crisis management operations led by the European Union such as MINUSCA, UNIFIL, UNFICYP, MONUSCO, UNTSO, EUNAFOR ATALANTA, EUTM RCA and EUTM Somalia.
Furthermore, national security and defence have been strengthened through the process of European integration and active participation of Serbia in all processes developed in the framework of international organisations, Partnership for Peace and regional initiatives.As regards preservation of peace and security in the region and world, Serbia has given contribution, by means of international military cooperation, to preservation of the Republic of Srpska as an entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina pursuant to Dayton Agreement, and thus it contributed to enhancement of position of the Serbs in the region and world.
Particularly important segment as well is the arms control, under the auspices of which Serbia fulfilled all internationally accepted obligations pursuant to the Agreement on Sub-regional Arms Control and Vienna Document 2011.
Creation of conditions for enhancement of military economic, military educational and military medical cooperation led to intensified cooperation in the field of defence with the countries of the Middle East, Africa, Asia.
Very important segment in the process of advancing international military cooperation are high-level meetings of officials from the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces. Only in last three years Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin hosted 22 ministerial visits, 105 meetings with senior foreign representatives and 101 meeting with ambassadors and representatives of international organisations which took place in Serbia, and he made 51 ministerial and 23 working visits abroad.
The most significant meetings include meetings with Minister of Defence of Russian Federation General of the Army Sergey Shoygu, Vice-Chairman of Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China General Zhang Youxia, Minister of National Defence of the People’s Republic of China General Wei Fenghe, Supreme Allied Commander Europe Tod Wolters, NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Laura Cooper, Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed, CSTO Secretary General, ministers of defence of the united Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Italy, Belarus …
Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, state secretaries, assistants minister, have carried out 217 activities of international military cooperation out of which 140 took place in Serbia and 77 abroad.
The most important meetings of the Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces include those with NATO Military Committee Chairman General Petr Pavel and Air Chief Marshal Sir Stewart Peach, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of Staff and Allied Forces Commander Naples Lieutenant General Luciano Portolano and Admiral James Foggo, Chairman of EU Military Committee General Claudio Graziano, chiefs of general staff of armed forces of USA, Belarus, Greece and other.The results of military economic cooperation with foreign partners worldwide can be best observed in the sphere of procurement of arms and military equipment, military technical assistance, and through cooperation of defence industries on joint projects, transfer of technology and overhaul of materiel. Owing to that, the Serbian Armed Forces received donations of MiG-29 aeroplanes from the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus, helicopters Mi-17 were procured and Mi-35, fighting vehicles MRDM-2, tanks T-72 and artillery missile system “Pantsir S-1” from the Russian Federation, unmanned aerial vehicles CH-92A were procured from the People’s Republic of China, helicopters H-145M “Airbus” and light portable AD missile systems “Mistral” from EU members – France and Germany.
In the field of military to military cooperation, over the past three years, 3248 activities were conducted with partner armed forces. Members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces participated in 98 international exercises out of which 25 took place in Serbia and 67 were organised abroad, while 6 exercises were executed simultaneously in Serbia and abroad. More significant exercises include “Slavic Brotherhood”, “Regex”, “Platinum Wolf”, “Shabla”, “Bars”, “Air Solution”, “LIVEX”, “Vigorous Warrior”, “Unbreakable Brotherhood”, “Combined Resolve”, “Neighbours”, “Sabre Junction”, “Sabre Guardian”, “Platinum Lion”, “Platinum Eagle”, “Cyber Tesla” …Military-education cooperation has also given considerable contribution to building international confidence and friendship. Members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces were enabled to attend professional advancements at the highest levels of education in the USA, Russian Federation, People ’s Republic of China, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Italy, Greece, Germany, France, and Estonia. Members of ministries of defence and armed forces from Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, DPR Algeria, Nigeria, and North Macedonia attended Advanced Security and Defence Studies, General Staff and Command Staff Course in military educational establishments of our country.
A particular curiosity of international military cooperation is participation of members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces in International Military Games in Russia, where they have achieved notable results. Until now, Serbia competed in the events “Tank Biathlon”, “Field Kitchen”, “Sniper Frontier”, “Engineer Formula” and “Military Rally”. This year, representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces will yet again fight for some of the medals in “Tank Biathlon”, “Military Rally” and “Sniper Frontier” events.
In the period of emergency situation caused by corona virus outbreak, activities of international military cooperation were primarily focused on creating conditions for receipt of donations and making donations in form of medical assistance, and creation of condition for stay of medical teams from the People’s Republic of China and experts in the field of medicine and CBRN units of the Russian Federation, who came to help Serbia fight the virus infection.On the occasion of marking the 20th anniversary of defence against NATO aggression, the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces organised exhibition “Defence 78” in the Museum of the City of Belgrade, dedicated to the killed in NATO aggression. This multimedia and interactive exhibition by author Dušan Jovović, which portrayed heroic defence of our country during 78 days of NATO aggression, became an unavoidable segment of visits from foreign statesmen and delegations to the Republic of Serbia.
International Military Cooperation under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces will continue being developed thus additionally contributing to enhancement of overall defence system of our country, strengthening independence, peace and security.
