04.03.2013.
Intensifying cooperation with Finland
State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Aleksandar Nikolic and Ambassador of the Republic of Finland HE Pekka Orpana have met today at the Ministry of Defence to exchange the views on political and security situation in the region and the key foreign policy issues. During the talks it was agreed that the good relations between the two countries are an excellent basis for the development and intensification of defence cooperation.The State Secretary Nikolic thanked Finland for its support to Serbia on its path towards the European Union. He assessed that signing of the agreement on military cooperation would contribute to the improvement of further cooperation because, apart from the Strategic Partnership from 2011, there is no legal framework that defines the relationship in the field of defence.
The State Secretary Nikolic introduced the Ambassador Orpana to the achieved level of regional cooperation and capacities developed by the Ministry of Defence in order to meet all the prerequisites for obtaining the date for starting accession talks with the European Union. He informed him about the achievements of the Ministry of Defence in the process of defence reform and plans for the forthcoming period.
Ambassador Orpana positively assessed the work of the new Government and said that the reforms must be continued in order to ensure continuous progress in the society, in accordance with the European standards. He conveyed that Finland has high expectations in terms of getting the date for starting the negotiations between Serbia and the European Union in the first half of the year.The Finnish side is interested in intensifying bilateral military cooperation, particularly in the area of joint participation in multinational operations. In the period to come Finland will submit to the Ministry of Defence concrete proposals of cooperation.
