Defense minister: No external threats

The Western Balkans, Southeastern and Central Europe are not threatened by possible attacks by third countries, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac has stated. “However, it does not mean that Europe and the Balkans, therefore Serbia too, are safe and protected,“ the minister told this week's issue of Belgrade's NIN magazine. Defense minister: No external threats “After the Cold War ended, the risk of a global military conflict has been significantly reduced but the world still faces numerous traditional and new challenges, risks and threats to security,“ Sutanovac said. According to him, new security challenges have appeared and are "difficult to see with the naked eye", but "must be dealt with". The defense minister thinks that the redistribution of power among large, smaller and regional forces, as well as enormous mutual dependence of states, demands further reforms of the international system. “A huge threat and challenge to security in Europe at this moment is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” he warned and repeated that according to agreements in place for three decades, nuclear weapons must not be expanded and use of nuclear energy could be improved only for humane purposes. “The fear of terrorism is not unjustified and new challenges for every defense system are also issues of energy security and climate change, which demand that all modern European countries, therefore Serbia too, look for answers to their consequences,” he said. The defense minister has warned that organized crime represents a particularly big challenge to security. Speaking about Serbia’s efficient response to these challenges, Sutanovac said that the country was acting on three levels – national, regional and European. He confirmed Serbia’s readiness to take over a part of the responsibility for stable and permanent peace in the region, participate in UN peacekeeping operations and reach interoperability of its armed forces with generally accepted international standard of NATO member states. "The third level of Serbia’s accession into European security system and European response to global challenges is accession into structures in Europe which deal with these issues, and primarily complete use of all possibilities that stem from Serbia’s membership in the Partnership for Peace," the minister was quoted as saying. As a country which signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement, Serbia should cooperate with the EU on developing its defense policy and the first step in this would be the signing of the Framework Agreement on Security with the EU. Sutanovac also revealed that negotiations began recently with the setting up of teams by both parties, the defense minister. Dragan Sutanovac (B92, file)

Defense minister: No external threats

“After the Cold War ended, the risk of a global military conflict has been significantly reduced but the world still faces numerous traditional and new challenges, risks and threats to security,“ Šutanovac said.

According to him, new security challenges have appeared and are "difficult to see with the naked eye", but "must be dealt with".

The defense minister thinks that the redistribution of power among large, smaller and regional forces, as well as enormous mutual dependence of states, demands further reforms of the international system.

“A huge threat and challenge to security in Europe at this moment is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” he warned and repeated that according to agreements in place for three decades, nuclear weapons must not be expanded and use of nuclear energy could be improved only for humane purposes.

“The fear of terrorism is not unjustified and new challenges for every defense system are also issues of energy security and climate change, which demand that all modern European countries, therefore Serbia too, look for answers to their consequences,” he said.

The defense minister has warned that organized crime represents a particularly big challenge to security.

Speaking about Serbia’s efficient response to these challenges, Šutanovac said that the country was acting on three levels – national, regional and European.

He confirmed Serbia’s readiness to take over a part of the responsibility for stable and permanent peace in the region, participate in UN peacekeeping operations and reach interoperability of its armed forces with generally accepted international standard of NATO member states.

"The third level of Serbia’s accession into European security system and European response to global challenges is accession into structures in Europe which deal with these issues, and primarily complete use of all possibilities that stem from Serbia’s membership in the Partnership for Peace," the minister was quoted as saying.

As a country which signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement, Serbia should cooperate with the EU on developing its defense policy and the first step in this would be the signing of the Framework Agreement on Security with the EU. Šutanovac also revealed that negotiations began recently with the setting up of teams by both parties, the defense minister.