19.05.2021.
Security and Defence Policy Bilateral Consultations between Serbia and United Kingdom
Bilateral consultations in the field of security and defence policy between Serbian and UK Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs were held on May 17 and 18, 2021 in Belgrade.
A wide range of issues related to global, European and regional security were discussed in an open conversation. Opinions were exchanged on the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija and it was concluded that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was the only right way to reach a compromise and sustainable solution that would contribute to regional stability, while refraining from taking unilateral measures that would cause great damage to the process. It was also agreed that peace and stability were an essential prerequisite for economic and other progress in the entire region.During the meeting, both sides expressed their firm commitment to acting jointly in order to strengthen bilateral relations in the field of security and defence policy and areas of mutual interest, as well as efforts to further deepen mutual understanding in that format.
The Serbian delegation, including the Acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Predrag Bandić and the Acting Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Security Policy, Ambassador Dijana Ivančić, presented in detail Serbia's foreign policy and defence policy priorities. They expressed satisfaction with the beginning of joint participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), noting that this type of engagement was the crown of military cooperation so far and would act as an incentive to further improve relations between the two countries.
The UK delegation, including the EU Director at Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development Giles Portman and the UK’s Euro-Atlantic Security Policy Unit Director David Hogan-Hern, presented in detail UK’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy as well as the view on the Western Balkans presented in the UK Ministry of Defence’s strategic document.The interlocutors agreed that cooperation in the field of defence was developed and that both sides were firmly committed to continuing it in the future, and that the next bilateral consultations would be held in London in 2022.
