22.10.2024.
Minister of Defence meets President of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee of the Senate of the Italian Republic
Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić has met today in Belgrade with Ms Stefania Craxi, President of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee of the Senate of the Italian Republic. The meeting addressed regional security, relations with KFOR and defence cooperation.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister of Defence emphasized that the stability of the region is of strategic interest to the Republic of Serbia. According to him, Serbia is committed to a peaceful resolution of all issues through talks with Pristina, in furtherance of a better life for all citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, while protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity and fully adhering to Security Council Resolution 1244 and Military Technical Agreement (MTA).
As Minister Gašić said, the unilateral moves of the Provisional Self-Government Institutions in Pristina and a large number of ethnically motivated incidents directed against the Serbian population in the previous period caused a humanitarian crisis and threaten the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. He emphasised that Serbia remains maximally committed to the promotion of peace and dialogue, as well as preserving stability in the region.
Speaking about relations with KFOR, he said that the issue of security for all citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, regardless of nationality and religious affiliation, is exclusively within the competence of KFOR. The Minister of Defence pointed out that relations between the Serbian Armed Forces and KFOR have gradually developed in a positive direction and that today they are characterised by a correct level of cooperation, mutual trust and partnership. He also emphasised that Serbia appreciates the continuous long-term presence of the Italian Armed Forces in the KFOR mission and its great contribution to the protection of Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija, especially in the protection of churches and monasteries. He expressed expectation that the new KFOR Commander Major General Enrico Barduani, from the Italian Armed Forces, will continue the established excellent cooperation and communication with the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilović.
According to Minister Gašić, the cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces and the Italian Armed Forces is meaningful, aimed primarily at raising operational and functional capabilities and strengthening mutual trust and in accordance with the Strategic Agreement. He said that Serbia remains an active contributor to efforts to preserve peace in the world, which we show through our joint participation in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Lebanese Republic (UNIFIL). According to him, the engagement of the two countries in multinational operations is of great military and political importance.
The defence cooperation with Italy is a developed one, Minister Gašić added, but there is room for qualitative and quantitative enhancement in areas of mutual interest. According to him, the priority areas of cooperation are military-to-military, military-economic and military-educational cooperation. Also, as he said, the Ministry of Defence is ready to continue implementing and enhancing cooperation in the areas of common interest.
The Minister of Defence pointed out that Serbia pays special attention to the improvement of military-economic cooperation with Italy that represents a promising partner, bearing in mind the technological level of development of the Italian economy.
The President of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee of the Senate of the Italian Republic Craxi expressed her satisfaction with today's cordial and open talks with Minister Gašić. She said that the bilateral military cooperation between Serbia and Italy is intensive and substantive and added that there is room for its further enhancement in the areas of mutual interest.
