30.09.2009.
Secretary Spasojevic visits USA
The delegation of our MoD and SAF headed by State Secretary Dusan Spasojevic is paying an official visit to USA in the period from 28th September to 2nd October.
the delegation was received by the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Joseph McMillan and the US National Guard Commander General Craig McKinley.Both sides agreed that the cooperation in the area of defense was the best part of bilateral relations of the two countries and that this has contributed largely to Serbia being recognized as the key factor of stability in the region.
It was also agreed that cooperation should be continued in such successful programs as the military education and SAF-Ohio National Guard cooperation within the State Partnership Program, with new models of cooperation also being considered during he talks.
Mr. McMillan conveyed the official stance of US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for the Minister Sutanovac to visit USA by the end of the year.
During he meeting, both sides exchanged their respective views on the security-political situation in the Balkans. It was confirmed that the cooperation between SAF and KFOR was at an adequate level, and that the presence of security forces in Kosovo was a prerequisite for peace and stability in this area. Once again, State Secretary Spasojevic reiterated Serbia’s commitment to preserving its integrity and stressed the importance of integration processes in the region. This was also an occasion for him to inform the American side of the progress of implementing the Security Agreement as well as the future prospects of Serbia’ participation in regional security initiatives.
The meeting with general McKinley was the first official meeting of one Serbian official with the newly-appointed US Guard Commander. General McKinley, on this occasion, said that the cooperation of SAF with Ohio represented a model for the cooperation of other state guards with other countries.Future activities would be mostly practical which would promote the quality of cooperation in preparing for participation for peace missions, in conducting joint exercises and in building the NCO corps in SAF.
Mutual relations and cooperation during the “Humanitarian assistance” project received high commendations, and general McKinley informed our delegation that the possibility of conducting a similar project once again was being considered, as well as enlarging cooperation and extending it to civil-civil area.
Our delegation visited the National University of Defense where several SAF members were at their studies in this prestigious military educational institution.
State Secretary Spasojevic had separate meetings with the Deputy Assistant Secretary with responsibility for the Balkan region, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Stuart E. Jones and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Political/Military Affairs of the United States Thomas Countryman and with the representatives of the National Security Council and congressmen sitting on the Armed Forces Committee and on the Foreign Affairs Committee Michael Turner and Denis Kucinic respectively. The talks focused mainly on security situation in the region.The shared conclusion is that the visit of Vice President Biden and the recent visit of President Tadic to Ohio helped both sides to better understand and see security issues thus confirming the necessity of cooperation in the fields of security and defense.
The visit will continue in UN HQ in New York, where the main topic will be the participation of SAF in peace missions.
