20.05.2009.

Sutanovac – Biden meeting

Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac and US Vice President Joseph Biden met today at the House of Guards on Topcider.

During the meeting, they discussed the cooperation between the Ministry of Defense, Serbian Armed Forces and US Armed Forces, as well as Serbia’s path towards EU, enlarging the cooperation within PFP, regional cooperation in the Balkans, global security and peacekeeping operations.

“We agreed that the military-military cooperation is one of the basic and best forms of cooperation between the two countries and that we should work on improving the bilateral military cooperation as well as on strengthening the cooperation within PfP”, stressed Sutanovac, expressing his wish that cooperation should be at a higher level in the future, which would be reflected in the realization of a number of joint activities.

The talks also focused on regional stability where both sides observed that MoD had built good relations with ministries and armies of the neighbouring countries.

Vice President Biden gave a positive assessment of the fact that a large number of officers and cadets from the neighboring countries were being educated at the Military Academy in Serbia, pointing out that it was one of the most important matters in the future cooperation because in that way people could get to know each other better and create stronger personal relations.

Minister Sutanovac mentioned another topic of discussion at today’s meeting such as global security and US efforts for sustaining the peace and stability in the world. “We have particularly stressed out our preparations and future engagements in peacekeeping mission in Chad. Vice President Biden voiced his respect to SAF members and its medical teams which would participate in that peacekeeping operation”, Sutanovac said.

Minister Sutanovac remarked that Vice President Biden had expressed his full support to Serbian efforts to join European integrations. “He completely separated the Kosovo and Metohija issue from the Serbia’s path to EU, insisting that Serbia as well as the entire Western Balkans should pursue this path”.

Furthermore, as Sutanovac mentioned both sides expressed their satisfaction with the cooperation within PfP, where both sides reached the conclusion that it should be enlarged. “Vice President Biden gave his support to our future integrations without any intention to pressure Serbian decisions”, as Sutanovac pointed out.

The Serbian Chief of GS, lt. Gen. Miloje Miletic also attended today’s meeting on Topcider.