12.04.2012.

SEECP ministerial conference starts

The Meeting of Defence Ministers of the participating countries of the Cooperation Process in Southeast Europe (Southeast European Cooperation Process - SEECP) started today at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade. The topic of the initiative that Serbia is chairing this year is "Improving the level of cooperation in the region to address the issue of surplus weapons."

At the meeting of delegations of participating countries are defense ministries of Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Slovenia, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece, as well as representatives of UN, EU, NATO, OSCE, Regional Cooperation Council and the Center for Security Policy - RACVIAC. The meeting was opened by Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac.

Welcoming the participants of the meeting, the minister pointed out that this was the first meeting organized by Serbia after receiving the candidate status for EU membership.

This step forward has opened a new chapter and new perspectives of relations between Serbia and the European Union. Our representatives are participating in the work of the Military Committee, and Serbia has begun to be actively engaged in the activities of the common security and defense policy, said Sutanovac.

He stressed that for the first time in history Serbia was participating in EU crisis management operations, adding that the European integration is a strategic priority for our country, and regional cooperation, as its prerequisite, was one of the pillars of our foreign policy.

The Minister welcomed the presence of representatives of international and regional organizations.

- Your support to regional countries’ efforts to implement the necessary reforms and establish modern European and international standards in all areas of society by strengthening accountability and transparency, makes a stable a platform for further strengthening of partnership, said Sutanovac.

He pointed out that by actively participating and promoting cooperation, the Republic of Serbia, at present, was chairing three regional initiatives, including the process of cooperation in Southeastern Europe.

There are ongoing preparations for taking over presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation, which is planned for 2015- said the Minister of Defence. He added that Serbia supports the integration of its neighbors into the European and international security institutions, noting that this was an only path to prosperity and stabilization of Southeast Europe.

- We are here today to contribute to the regional approach of addressing arms surplus issues, ammunition and ordnance, convinced that the defense and security cooperation is one of the most important aspects of cooperation between the countries of the region - said Sutanovac at the end of the opening statement.

He announced that the meeting would continue at the plenary session to be able to consider the destruction of surplus weapons given the specifics of each state in the nation and its prospects. As noted, the individual assessment of each country’s problems should give us an objective view of the situation and the incentive for finding a widely-acceptable and comprehensive solution for the region.

The minister underlined the progress of our country in bilateral relations, and an overall contribution to cooperation in the region.

On the sidelines of the conference Sutanovac met with Minister of Defence of Montenegro Milica Pejanovic Djurisic and Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz of Turkey.

In the final address, Sutanovac said that today's meeting was marked by the visit of delegations of 11 participating countries, 6 international organizations, including three ministers from Bulgaria, Montenegro and Turkey.

- The main topic of this meeting was to improve cooperation in dealing with surplus weapons and military equipment. We agreed that the surplus military ammunition and ordnance is one of the main threats and risks in the region. That is why we believe that the best way of solving common problems together is through mechanisms of various regional initiatives – Minister Sutanovac said adding that it was mutually concluded that the excess weapons and military equipment did not only pose a danger to the citizens, but was also the burden on regional armies.

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It is an institution which has a tradition of 150 years, and has been working hard on the demilitarization of ammunition and delaboration of ammunition which is expiring - said Sutanovac, noting especially that nowadays all the participants agreed that regional cooperation was the best way to resolve those issues related to the region, as this conference has confirmed.

Speaking of bilateral meetings with Ministers of Defence of Bulgaria, Montenegro and Turkey during the sidelines of the conference, Sutanovac said that in addition to the already established lines of cooperation, there is a marked interest in cooperation in the defense industry.

- I expect that by the end of the month we shall sign a contract on a donation the Ministry of Defense has received so far, and it is about 10 million EUR for reconstruction and further conversion of airport "Morava" near Kraljevo- said the Minister explaining that the donation was by the Ministry of Defence Republic of Turkey.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Speaking about weapons surplus in the region, Sutanovac pointed out that in the last decade of last century, a large number of arms and military equipment had been accumulated during the last decade on the XX century.

- We actually had some 12 thousand tons of ammo stored in open air, and as of 1 June last year, we delaborated and placed it appropriate storage areas - stressed the Minister, adding that only a technical analysis can confirm what the total amount of ammo is stored which capacities are necessary for this ammunition to be stored properly.
He reminded the present that the UNDP and the OSCE had provided funds for capacity building in Kragujevac, as well as for the reconstruction and construction of two warehouse facilities that will enable Serbia to permanently resolve the issue of weapons and military equipment surplus.

Serbia, said Sutanovac, has a total pf 160 thousand tons of surplus ammunition in 5% of its area, which is properlystored, and also has the capacity to assist other countries in solving this problem.

Representative of NATO, Frank Boland, said that this initiative was extremely important because it contributes to human security in the region. In addition, excess ammunition is a very important question regarding best use of defense resources.

Deputy Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Okolic said that the country is one of those regional countries with most surplus of ordnance, about 18, 000 tons, which, by the way, are not in good condition.

The country does not have enough capacity, he said, to solve the problem completely, but resorts to sales, donations and destruction that would alleviate this problem. Okolic stressed the importance of finding a timely solution, because the excess of ammunition can turn into a cross-border problem.

INTRODUCTORY SPEECH OF SERBIAN DEFENCE MINISTER