03.06.2009.
Serbian Parliament on the proposal for the participation of our armed forces in Chad
The Members of the Parliament started their extraordinary session whose main topic on the agenda was the Decision Proposal on the Participation of professional members of the military medical service of MoD and SAF as part of the Norwegian contingent in UN peace mission in Chad and the Central African Republic.
Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, in his explanation of the proposal, stressed that it was of great importance for Serbia’s credibility to have members of SAF participate in peace missions under UN auspices. The proposal was for the medical team to participate in the operations in Chad, where currently the representatives of 36 states and the police forces from 20 countries from all continents are stationed.”We are convinced that SAF has the necessary capacities and that I t is able to participate in peace operations which would raise the credibility of our country”, as Sutanovac said reminding of the history of participation in peace missions from Sinai in 1956 and in missions in Yemen, Congo, Iran, Namibia, Angola, East Timor and Burundi till today, when we have our members stationed in only three missions. In Liberia we have 4 observers, 3 in Cote d Ivoire, and in Congo our medical team is stationed. Kostunica’s Government decided that our SAF members should participate in Afghanistan yet then revoked this decision”.
According to minister Sutanovac, these peace activities would arguably raise our international reputation since the invitation extended to the Serbian military medical teams represents a form of recognition to the Serbian military medical service. The Military medical academy ranks as the third largest military hospital in the world.
Furthermore, this was an opportunity to point out the humanitarian aspect of the missions, since our doctors will treat those people who need medical assistance, where they are called by UN “all this under SAF flag, and wearing SAF emblems”. This would be an excellent opportunity for a final shift in the attitude of the international community towards Serbia. This decision ranks us as one of the globally responsible countries”Emphasizing the principle of voluntary participation based on which the SAF members go to peace missions, Minister stated that since 2003, 72 doctors and other medical staff have gone through the medical teams and our unit stationed in Congo.
The representatives of the political parties voiced their arguments for and against this proposal for the members of SAF to participate in Chad, and the MP wil have the opportunity to cast their vote on Tuesday, 9 June, at 10:20.
