27.06.2014.
Minister Gasic visiting Austria
Minister of Defence of the Republic of Serbia Bratislav Gasic, accompanied by the delegation, is visiting the Republic of Austria, where he talked to Austrian Federal Minister of Defence and Sports Gerald Klug. This has been the first official international bilateral visit since his appointment as the Defence Minister.Minister Gasic conveyed the gratitude of the Government of the Republic Serbia for selfless help from the Republic of Austria during the disastrous and immemorial floods. He pointed out that the bilateral relations are currently at the highest level, comprehensive and stabile, the best in the last 100 years. Considering that the improvement of the relations between Serbia and Austria is a mutual commitment, all the better depicted in regular conversations among high-level officials, Minister invited his colleague Klug to visit the Republic of Serbia at the beginning of 2015.
It has been mutually stated that cooperation in the field of defence is intensive. Commitment has been expressed for further improvement of the cooperation in the future, within target fields – training and advancement, CBRN and military healthcare. There certainly is room for improvement and it is necessary to find what is in mutual interest, in accordance with the financial situation.
Minister Gasic stressed the significance of the support of the Republic of Austria in accomplishing one of the priorities of the foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia – accession to the EU, and expressed his expectation for Austria to continue being a good and reliable partner in the process of Euro integrations. He conveyed interest in Austria’s practices, as a neutral country, from its participation in missions, considering the commitment of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of Serbia to intensify engagement in multinational operations under the auspices of the UN and EU.
Minister Gasic stressed Serbia’s appreciation for the significant engagement of members of the Armed Forces of Austria in KFOR formation and the Government’s decision to enlarge contingency in KFOR formation.Minister Klug repeated Austria’s readiness to help Serbia and transfer experiences in the process of EU accession, and in participation in multinational operations.
He stressed that the cooperation in the field of defence should not be only perceived bilaterally, but also through possibilities for cooperation on a regional level, by using regional capacities and resources.
At the end of the visit, upon Minister Klug’s request to be his guest at the oath taking of Austrian soldiers in military service, Minister Gasic attended the ceremony. Moreover, he visited the Military Historical Museum, where the delegation of the Ministry of Defence had the opportunity to see an exhibition setup connected with marking of the centenary of the beginning of the Great War.
