16.11.2011.
Defence consultations with Italy
Head of the International Military Cooperation Colonel Ljubomir Nikolic met today with a delegation of the General Staff of Italy, led by Deputy Chief of the Department for Military Policy and Planning Rear Admiral Federico Bisconti as part of regular bilateral defense consultations.Both sides expressed satisfaction with the level reached in bilateral military cooperation and the wish to further improve this cooperation. It was found that regular bilateral defense consultations are a proof of high level of mutual understanding between the two countries.
Main areas of cooperation are education and professional development, training of special forces teams in clearing unexploded ordnance, intelligence and reconnaissance operations, military cooperation between the police and Carabinieri, Defence Inspectorate and protocols.
Colonel Nikolic stressed the importance of cooperation in the field of joint involvement in multinational operations. The Republic of Serbia is committed to continuing to be deployed in EU joint naval forces operation ATALANTA against piracy. In the future the Republic of Serbia is expected to expand collaboration in joint participation in a peacekeeping mission UNIFIL.Rear Admiral Bisconti said that the Republic of Italy would expand and intensify cooperation in defense in the future. The Republic of Italy is interested in educating military officers and doctors in military schools in Serbia.
After bilateral consultations, Colonel Nikolic and Rear Admiral Bisconti signed a bilateral military cooperation plan between the two defense ministries for the upcoming 2013.
