11.06.2011.
General Miletic: Common response to security challenges
Serbian Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Miloje Miletic said for Tanjug that the Strategic Military Partner Conference early next week in Belgrade will be probably the largest this year's gathering of military leaders in the world who will discuss the response to contemporary security challenges and threats.
"About 60 countries of the world have confirmed sending of their military delegations to this conference organized by the Allied Command Transformation and hosted by our country", said Miletic.He stated that the participants from different countries from all continents will bring a clear message of their states and governments about their commitment to cooperation.
According to him, it refers to joint training and education, "with the aim to contribute to adequate joint response to the current and future challenges and threats."
"Those who will arrive to Belgrade are senior military representatives of NATO member countries, countries that are participants in the Partnership for Peace Programme, Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul initiative and representatives of Contact Countries such as Pakistan, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan and others", he said.
Miletic also pointed out that the Conference will be a good opportunity to exchange views, positions and experiences concerning major current issues of strategic importance for the security of the world.
"Discussion will be held on innovative approaches to capability development, further development of partnerships and joint activities, as well as assuring access to the global commons," he said.
Miletic expressed his belief that addressing these issues will provide a good basis for finding the right answers to contemporary security challenges facing the humanity.
According to him, the Conference is also one of the ways to express the sincere commitment of our country to cooperate "with the full and unequivocal respect for our military neutrality".
"By number of countries, the Conference will be larger than all such conferences held so far and it is a good opportunity for Serbia, especially for Belgrade, to show the world its cosmopolitan spirit, and that all stories about extreme Serbian hospitality are correct and justified", General Miletic said.
Strategic Military Partner Conference will be organized in Belgrade from 13 to 15 June.
The gathering will be officially opened on Tuesday, 14 June, by the Minister of Defence Dragan Sutanovac, General Miletic and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Stephane Abrial.
The initiative to organize annual conferences started in 2006 at the NATO summit in Riga, and the previous hosts were Macedonia, Norway, Albania and Finland.
