23.05.2014.
Meeting of Defence Ministers of Serbia and the Russian Federation
Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic leads the delegation of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces on the 3rd Moscow International Security Conference.
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Gasic met with Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu.
During the talks with Minister Shoigu, Minister Gasic thanked the senior officials of the Russian Federation for the assistance which Russia sent during the catastrophic floods, at the request and invitation of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, in the shortest possible time. The Russian side has sent the help of 40 motor boats, 30 mobile electric generators, 18 pumps for pumping water and heat guns for drying, as well as 47 tons of food, blankets and other resources. 73 Russian rescuers, including 20 divers participated in the evacuation of the affected population in Obrenovac.Gasic and Shoigu agreed that political relations between Serbia and Russia are traditionally good and friendly and perhaps have been the best in the past few decades. Minister Gasic stressed that Serbia is firmly committed to their further development. On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the Defence Minister thanked his Russian counterpart for the support of Russia to territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia.
Minister Gasic stressed during the talks that the European integration is one of the most important priorities of the Government of Serbia, but this does not prevent the development of cooperation with Russia.
The ministers also discussed the work of the Serbian-Russian humanitarian emergency centre in Nis.
It was concluded that cooperation in the field of defence is on the rise. It was agreed that the focus of future cooperation in the field of defence should be directed to the continuation of political and strategic dialogue with the Russian Ministry of Defence and the implementation of various activities of bilateral military cooperation, with emphasis on the implementation of joint training and exercises, as well as continuing military education cooperation and the strengthening of military- technical and military medical cooperation.
VIDEOGALLERY