01.04.2011.
Interview of Milorad Peric, Head of the International Military Cooperation Department
International military cooperation proved to be a powerful instrument for supporting and promoting reforms in the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Armed Forces and significant support to the foreign policy of the state. Important international events that will take place in Serbia in the next few months will be a sort of a test and the possibility to confirm this role once again.
WITH PARTNERS ALL OVER THE WORLD
In the past few years, the international military cooperation has been significantly improved. Relations in defense were established with new partners (Spain, Nigeria, Namibia), while improving cooperation with old partners, so that the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia today have developed cooperation with more than 55 partners around the world, from China to USA, from Angola to Norway .Cooperation in the field of defense with many important countries, and partners in the region is the best and most developed part of Serbia’s overall bilateral cooperation. Meanwhile, Serbia's active engagement at the multilateral level and in international institutions and organizations confirmed its commitment to active participation in the wider international scene.
This, according to the Chief of the International Military Cooperation Department of Defence Policy retired general Milorad Peric, has been confirmed in practice by an increasing involvement of Serbia in international peacekeeping missions under the United Nations, and as of this year in the European Union peace operations as well.
Mr. Peric, how many countries does Serbia have military cooperation agreements with at this point?
- Serbia has signed agreements on defense cooperation with 41 states. Last year alone we signed eight agreements, 12 agreements and 14 donation protocols for nearly three million EUR worth of donations. The largest donors were Norway, China, Denmark, and the funds received from donations for the most part were directed at equipping the Army of Serbia and the improvement of military education system.
The United States have helped the defense system with almost two and a half million USD through various donation programs. We maintain regular bilateral military consultations and sign annual plans of bilateral military cooperation with over 30 countries. Recently we have had such consultations for the first time with Russia, which should in the future be a new impetus to the improvement of cooperation between Serbia and Russia in the field of defense. We expect the exchange of visits at the highest level, and continued cooperation in education, improvement of scientific-technical cooperation and military economy.
- What is that role of the SAF in all this?
- The Serbian Armed Forces have proved themselves to be a reliable and professional partner with the most modern armies of the world as it participated jointly with these armies in about 15 bilateral and multilateral variously themed exercises, primarily with a view of exchanging experiences, building their own operational capabilities and being deployed in all three missions.
We have recently heard that the SAF have been referred to as our "brand". Have Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia been recognized as a viable partner?
- In the past the Ministry and the Army have fully been affirmed as a "brand” on regional and broader scale. Military medical facilities have also proved their capabilities by being involved in international missions in Congo and Chad, and more and more countries want to establish and expand cooperation with the Military Medical Academy (MMA). In our military schools cadets and officers from countries around the world (USA, China, Russia, Algeria, Germany, Austria, Turkey, from the region) are being continuously educated.
In the region, the Ministry and the Armed Forces have both been recognized as a reliable partner, which all contributed to building confidence, security and stability in the region. We actively participate in all regional initiatives. Our capacities used not only by the armies in the region but also many others around the world, participating in various training courses organized by the NBC defense Center, education at the Military Medical Academy, preparing for international missions.
This position of Serbia now fully recognized as you say, will have been confirmed mid this year by organizing and holding a number of important conferences in Belgrade.
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- At late April we will host the first conference of Military Medical Services in the Southeast Europe, which Serbia is preparing in cooperation with Norway and the United States. This conference will be organized under the auspices of the Regional Initiative Forum to assist the SEE countries. We expect participants from more than 60 representatives of military medical services in the region, as well as observers from relevant international organizations (UN, EU, NATO, etc.). The conference aims at improving cooperation, mutual recognition of the capacity and capabilities of military medical services and possibilities of the drafting a concept for a joint regional military medical operations group, composed of the Western Balkans countries.
In mid-May of this year Serbia will, as a member of the OSCE, be hosting one of the most important activities and responsibilities stemming from the "Vienna Document 1999" -Visits to an air base and military facility or a military unit. What are the goals of this activity?
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- This activity is organized every five years. Besides having OSCE member states as participants, the activity will involve representatives of regional and other organizations, such as RACVIAC, EU and NATO. We expect to see around 60 representatives of the verification centers of OSCE member states and observers. Participants in these activities will visit the 204th Aviation Brigade at Batajnica and the Special Brigade in Pancevo. This will mean the attaining of several goals: fulfilling the obligations of Serbia adhering to "the Vienna Document 1999", the presentation of an elite unit of the Serbian Armed Forces, while demonstrating the level of operational capability, readiness and ability to cooperate with partner armies, and also to promote the results of defense reforms.Furthermore, this is an opportunity for us to improve the infrastructure capacities of the units that are visited.
Ministry of Defence will also host the 11th Conference of the Forum for Assisting SEE countries, held in late May in Belgrade. We assume that this will, among other, be used for the presentation of additional resources and prospects of the Serbian regional capacities?
- In accordance with previous practice, the Conference Board for Assisting SEE countries, in addition to Serbia, will be co-chaired by the representatives of the United States and Slovenia with more than 80 representatives from the Forum, and representatives of donor countries and international organizations (UN, OSCE, EU, NATO, etc.). The conference aims at analysis of the three declared regional centers (NBC center Krusevac, Training Center for participation in peacekeeping Operations in Butmir and the Media Centre in Skopje, Macedonia). Certainly, there will be an opportunity to properly present the additional resources and opportunities of the Serbian regional capacities, particularly the newly established University of Defense, the base “Jug" and the technical repair center Kragujevac.
At the initiative of Serbia, during the conference the issue of surplus ammunition in the region will be especially considered. The regional problem has been recognized through the work of various regional initiatives. We expect that this year's conference will define the framework for finding a single answer to this common challenge.
The biggest challenge will be to organize the Fifth Strategic Military Partner Conference. The level and number of participants, as well as the proposed topic, suggest that this is a very important meeting?
- Certainly, the biggest challenge in the organizational, and security terms, is precisely holding the 5th strategic military partner conference in mid-June this year. Serbia has accepted to organize this conference at the invitation of the Allied Transformation Command. The conference is held annually at the NATO countries CHODs level, PfP, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative and the contact states, with a total of 69 countries participating in the conference.
The last conference was held in Finland, and the next is planned to be organized in Croatia. This year Serbia hopes to see about 200 high-ranking military officials from all continents, where the participants of military representatives of South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Qatar, Mauritania, Jordan, and other countries in the region have already confirmed their participation.
Furthermore, EU and other international organizations military high ranking officials will also take part in the conference work. This year's conference theme will be "After Lisbon: implementing the transformation." In addition, within working groups, experts in the subject areas will have the opportunity to exchange views on several topics relating to the challenges to global and regional security, training and developing the operational capacity of the military.
Organization of such an event raises financial issues. What benefits will this bring our country? What possibilities does it offer?
- The organization of such conferences in Belgrade is an opportunity for the promotion of Serbia and the Serbian Armed Forces before its partner countries, but Serbia as a whole, as a reliable factor in dealing with current security challenges in the world and the region. Also, this is an opportunity to present Serbia able to organize activities with a high level.
According to first estimates, in this way, the city of Belgrade and Serbia will, in just two days, achieved revenue of more than $ 200,000. Cost of Serbia, as the host of the conference, will be much smaller. On the website of the conference, which is an integral part of the web site of the Allied Command Transformation, the presentation will be placed on Serbia and Belgrade.
Ministry of Defence in June will be the sponsor of a big event: the International Fair of arms and military equipment. What is expected from the fair?
- In late June 2011. year will be held the Fifth International Fair of arms and military equipment "Partner 2011", sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, co-company "Yugoimport-SDPR, and executive organizer Belgrade Fair. In the past few years, Serbian military industry has achieved exports of over 1.2 billion dollars and today is one of the largest generators of economic growth in Serbia. The companies that belong to that group employs nearly 10,000 workers, of whom several thousand employees in the coming weeks.
It is expected that the fair is attended by more than 100 exhibitors from around the world. It will be a unique opportunity to present the latest products of the Serbian military industry. On the sidelines of the fair will be held the third meeting on cooperation in defense weapons and logistics.
Snezana Djokic
Photo by Zoran Milovanovic
Serbia has signed agreements on cooperation in defense with 41 states. Just last year signed eight agreements, 12 agreements and 14 administrative protocols Grant worth nearly three million.
The Serbian Army has been affirmed as a reliable and professional partner with the most modern armies of the world which is held annually around 15 joint bilateral and multilateral.
In the region, the Ministry and the Army have been recognized as a reliable partner, for a total contributed to building confidence, security and stability.
