12.06.2011.
Tanja Miscevic: We will not be invited to join NATO
NATO will not send an invitation to Serbia to join the Alliance at the forthcoming conference on strategic partnership nor will Serbia ask for it, and there will not be signed any strategic document which would indicate that Serbia is leaving its position of military neutrality, Tanja Miscevic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence said in her interview for "Blic".
Is it NATO summit held in Belgrade or it is a conference of broader importance than the North Atlantic Alliance itself?- The NATO summit is never held outside of NATO member countries. The gathering that is to be held in Belgrade is called the Strategic Military Partnership Conference and the very name leads to a conclusion that it means much more discussion about the strategic linking between NATO and partner organizations and countries to define the ways to fight for international peace and security. Or in better words, for three days, Serbia will be the centre of discussions on global security.
What are the specific topics, will there be signing of any agreements?
- No, this is just discussion and there will be no final declarations or any agreements. This is the place where the most important personalities in charge of the militaries of 69 countries (and we have 55 confirmations of participants of their arrival), CHODs, their deputies, army commanders will meet in one place and discuss the major changes, turbulences, such as the Arab Revolt brought in. This is the exchange of opinions.
What will be discussed?
- The events in the North Africa, the Middle East, issues of Iran's nuclear program, nuclear disaster in Japan, and in particular, on all the capabilities of partners to effectively fight this. There will be presented different views, as regards the UN action in Libya, and the suggestions will be heard on what to do next.
Why Belgrade as a venue? Is there some hidden significance?
- This is the fifth conference in a row and it is a matter of agreement between the participating states. It is a recognition and respect for a country that is completely ready to be a partner in strengthening global security. Also, this is expressing of great respect for the Serbian Armed Forces and recognition for past participation in peacekeeping missions, such as the mission in Chad, for which we have received praise from the UN and Norway, our partner in this mission.
Will Serbia receive during this summit an invitation to join?
- No, this is not the place from which NATO would make Serbia an invitation to join the Alliance. Only in the NATO summit, and this one is not of that kind, a state may be invited to become a member if it has previously met the conditions and complicated procedures. Membership of Serbia will not be the topic.
DSS assessed that holding such an event will not constitute a recognition of the state and the Serbian Armed Forces, but it would be another humiliation and a clear indication that Serbia is approaching the Alliance?
- This is an indication that the SAF is a credible partner, and SAF is the representative of Serbian state, a credible partner to all of EU and NATO and PfP member states. So this is approximation to NATO. Since 2006, Serbia has been a PfP participant, and we have not yet met all the elements of the partnership.
Russia is a participant of this conference?
Is it possible for Russia to join NATO before Serbia and our country to remain isolated?
- A couple of days ago, NATO commenced military exercises with Russian Federation. The US Air Force is flying along with the Russian one over Poland and the Black Sea in a joint anti-terrorist exercise. A key partner of NATO is the EU, Russia is the second one, because it is the world power, a huge country with vast military resources, and we are one country in the PfP and in that balance of power, cooperation with Russia is undoubtedly more important for NATO and therefore it will participate in this Conference.
Is Serbia leaving the course of military neutrality?
- It cannot be done by the fact that we are organizing a conference. This can be done only by changing the state policy, abandoning the resolution of the Assembly – that is neither the subject nor policy of the Republic of Serbia.
Will Kosovo will be the topic?
- The fact that there will be CHODs of all our neighbours is the opportunity to discuss the security issues in the region. The issue of Kosovo will be discussed, it is possible, but not its status, but the issues of organised crime, the issue of religious extremism, terrorism, smuggling ...
How dangerous are the missions in Uganda and Somalia waters, where the SAF members are deployed?
- One of the things you take into consideration when deploying your soldiers is that it is an area with a lower risk to their security, even though it cannot be avoided anywhere. So far there were no casualties on the ships in mission "Atalanta", who patrol the coasts of Somalia and the EU mission in Uganda has just been stationed in this country to provide help and train the Somali military and police outside Somalia, where the situation is very complex.
Tanja Nikolic Dakovic
Photo: B. Puljevic
Top military officials in Belgrade
The Conference will be attended by 18 CHODs (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Sweden, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, and of course, Serbia), seven DCHODs (Czech Republic, Spain, Armenia, Austria, Ireland, Ukraine, Pakistan), and the remaining number are the representatives of CHODs.
Exports to Libya
Do the conflicts in North Africa threaten exports of arms and weapons from our country?
- Libya is mentioned as a place of arms exports, but when you compare the exports to Libya and Belgium, you see that exports to Belgium are ten times higher. What is endangered in Libya is the more significant type of long-term business, transmission, transfer of knowledge. We came to the very stage of implementation, the land was designated, the project was designed. The agreement was that our companies build a military hospital with a large number of beds, our construction companies, our domestic equipment, management, training of doctors, all is ours. The contract has not failed, but it is on hold.
