20.07.2011.

Meeting between Generals Miletic and Bartels

Serbian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, General Miloje Miletic, met today with the Defence Commander of the Kingdom of Denmark, General Knud Bartels, who is in a two-day visit to Serbia.

During the meeting, the generals assessed that bilateral military cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Denmark is good, that it has been on the rise, especially in the last few years, but there is room and interest for its further improvement.

- I am sure that this visit will contribute to further promotion of cooperation between Serbia and Denmark, said General Miletic stressing that Denmark was a great ally and friend in the overall reform process in the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Armed Forces who provided support at any time.

- The cooperation is especially developed in the area of air forces. We have active support of Denmark, both technical and financial, in developing the capacity of the search and rescue and flight safety, for which Denmark has allocated around 600 000. With the support of Denmark our country was the first in the region to become a full member of the organisation for satellite positioning of the entities in distress. Denmark is one of the major donors to the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. Since 2004 Denmark has donated 3.2 million euros, and most of the funds, except those allocated for the needs of our Air Force is directed to projects PRISMA, PELT, and development of civil-military cooperation. Today, in the Air Force Command, a Protocol on the donation of tanks to serve the Air Force will be signed – General Miletic said, pointing out as significant also cooperation in the field of training for participation in multinational operations, education of personnel in logistics, civil-military relations, and English language learning.

Danish Defence Commander thanked General Miletic for the invitation to the first visit to Belgrade and said that the visit is a privilege for him because there is a very good cooperation between the Armed Forces of Denmark and Serbia.

- I would like to use this opportunity to express my satisfaction and I congratulate the Chief of SAF General Staff on the success in the transformation of the Serbian Armed Forces. My country is ready to support Serbia to join the European Union, and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to expand our cooperation within the Partnership for Peace Programme. Serbia is the largest non-NATO military partner of Denmark in Europe - General Bartels said in his address to journalists and invited the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of Staff to the return visit to Denmark, with the aim to further deepen the good relations between the two armies and two countries.

After the meeting with General Miletic, General Bartels gave a lecture at the Centre for Peacekeeping Operations, and then in a small war hall of the old General Staff building he talked with the State Secretary Igor Jovicic, who, on that occasion, handed military commemorative medal to Danish Defence Attaché Lieutenant Colonel Søren Knudsen.

During his visit to Belgrade, Bartels visited the Air Force and Air Defence Command, where the protocol on the donation by the Danish Ministry of Defence to the Serbian Armed Forces was signed. The protocol was signed by Ambassador of Kingdom of Denmark to Serbia, Mette Kewell Nielsen and Air Force and Air Defence Commander, Brigadier General Ranko Živak.

During his stay, the Danish Defence Commander will visit the Air Force and Air Defence Operations Centre, Special Brigade, the Military Museum and the Museum of the Yugoslav Air Force.