25.02.2015.
Cooperation with Belarus on the rise
Delegation of the Ministry of Defence of Belarus is staying in Serbia on the occasion of holding defence consultations between the two ministries of defence and the signing of Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2015.
The first bilateral defence consultations in the history of Serbian-Belarusian relations are maintained as one of the conclusions of the visit of the Minister of Defence Bratislav Gasic to Minsk in November last year.The delegation of the Serbian Ministry of Defence was led by Lieutenant Colonel Goran Nestorovic, Acting Chief of a Division in the Department for International Military Cooperation, while the Belarusian delegation was headed by Colonel Dmitry Mikhailovich Poverenij, Acting Head of the Department for International Military Cooperation. The talks involved also Andrej Metelica, Advisor for Economic and Political Affairs at the Embassy of Belarus in Belgrade.
During the talks, they exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral relations between the two countries and the two defence ministries. Both sides agreed that cooperation in the field of defence is on the rise and that the implementation of the planned activities during this year will make conditions for its further intensification.
It was pointed out that the recent signing of the Agreement on Defence Cooperation during the visit of Minister Gasic to Belarus created a formal legal framework for the further development and intensification of cooperation.
Lieutenant Colonel Nestorovic thanked for the support in regard to our legitimate efforts to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kosovo and Metohija, but also for the assistance that Belarus provided during catastrophic floods in May last year. He added that our side firmly advocates that all problems must be solved by consensus and agreement of all stakeholders, in a peaceful and principled manner.
Colonel Poverenij agreed with the view that it is necessary to unite efforts to overcome the real challenges and open issues which threaten peace and security in the regions of both countries, pointing out that there are many similarities on which defence cooperation should be built in the future.They expressed interest that Belarus participate as an observer in the realization of exercise Balkan Response 2015, with the possibility that this kind of military-to-military cooperation expands in the future. Also, they agreed that enhancement of cooperation in military education, and other forms of cooperation is of mutual interest.
At the end of the talks they signed 2015 Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan, with a total of 12 activities.
It was planned that, in the framework of the visit, the Belarusian delegation visits the Defence University, Serbian Armed Forces General Staff and the Military Museum.
