25.03.2013.
Third Jakarta International Defence Dialogue closed
On the sidelines of the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue 2013, the delegation of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia headed by Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Miroslav Jovanovic had a series of bilateral meetings.Assistant Minister Jovanovic met with the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Qi Jianguo and expressed appreciation for the understanding and sincere support from the Chinese party in terms of our foreign policy priorities, stressing that Serbia has excellent defence cooperation with China, based on partnership and mutual respect. He stressed that in the forthcoming period we expect Defence Minister Aleksandar Vucic to visit the People's Republic of China. Deputy Chief of General Staff General Qi Jianguo confirmed the support to Serbia in its struggle to protect its national interests and stressed that the Government, the Ministry of Defence and the whole population of the People's Republic of China perceives Serbia and its people as great friends. He agreed with the planned visits of high officials of the two countries, pointing out that a lot can be achieved in the field of exchange and training of personnel, and stressed his satisfaction with our military health care resources and experience in the field of air defence.
During the talks with the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, General Oleg Salukov, it was highlighted our desire to realise the planned visit by the Defence Minister of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu to Serbia in the forthcoming period, which would determine strategic directions for the future cooperation in the field of defence. He pointed out that the overall cooperation between the two friendly countries is excellent and without open issues, expressing the hope that it will be promoted in the field of defence. Deputy Chief of General Staff Salukov pointed to common rich history that should serve as a guide for even better relations in the future. He invited the institutions of the Ministry of Defence of Serbia to pay visit to the Russian Federation as soon as possible in order to operationalize the defined military cooperation plans. In the end, they exchanged views and opinions on all aspects of future cooperation in the field of defence.
During the meeting with Secretary General for Defence Policy at the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Spain Alejandro Enrique Alvarogonzales San Martin, accompanied by the Ambassador of Spain in Jakarta Rafael de Saro, Jovanovic thanked Spain for its principled stance regarding preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and stressed commitment of the Serbian Government to dialogue and peaceful resolution to fulfil the previously reached agreements, and to find a sustainable solution in talks with Pristina with the help of the EU in order to ensure peace and stability. He pointed out the military neutrality of Serbia and informed the Secretary General of San Martin about the planned engagement on our part in the UN- and EU-led multinational operations. Secretary General San Martin confirmed the mutual positions regarding Kosovo and Metohija and briefed on aspects of the Spanish participation in the MNOP, and their plans for the forthcoming period.During the next meeting, Assistant Minister Jovanovic talked with Rear Admiral Anne Kuler, Commander of the French Pacific Force fleet. He stressed that the Serbian-French defence cooperation is excellent and without outstanding issues. He introduced Rear Admiral Anne Cullère to the implemented and ongoing preparations for joint participation in the ATALANTA mission. Rear Admiral Cullère was interested in the prospects of our future involvement in the EU crisis management operations, with special emphasis on the ATALANTA mission, pointing out that she will inform Chief of General Staff of the French Armed Forces about all the details of the talks.
During the talks with Lieutenant General Jürgen Bornemann, Director General of NATO International Military Staff in Brussels, Assistant Minister Jovanovic expressed his gratitude for the professional execution of the tasks of KFOR in Kosovo area, and supported their efforts to maintain peace and stability, indicating that there was a lot more to do in order to allow freedom of movement and the basic security of the entire population. He informed his interlocutor with the subsequent planned activities within the Partnership for Peace Programme and highlighted the specifics regarding the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) and the Planning and Review Process (PARP). General Bornemann conveyed the wish of NATO to develop cooperation with Serbia and expressed gratitude for the support given to KFOR. He stressed that the countries contributors are planning to reduce their participation in KFOR, while at the same time, the current situation on the ground does not allow it, and so they are very keen to achieve a mutually acceptable solution in the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.
During their stay in Jakarta, the delegation of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia visited the Asia-Pacific Security and Defence Expo (APSDEX) which was closed and held as an integral part of the defence dialogue. The exhibition presented the latest technological innovations, initiatives and programmes in the field of security and defence, with participation of companies from the Asia-Pacific region, with a production programme oriented to a range of protective equipment, small arms, monitoring and control systems.
