"Unscrupulous attacks over cooperation with Russia and NATO"

"Unscrupulous attacks over cooperation with Russia and NATO"

Dacic's statement further said that Serbia is conducting a policy of military neutrality, and that both instances of criticism represent "a false concern and only an excuse for yet another ruthless attack on the Serbian government, which is conducting a clear policy: military neutrality, membership in the EU, and friendly relations with Russia."

Dacic added that then President of Serbia Boris Tadic on December 14, 2006 in Brussels signed the Framework Document, when Serbia formally became a participant in the Partnership for Peace program.

"After that, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic on September 5, 2007 handed over at the NATO headquarters the Presentation Document, which defines the areas of cooperation with NATO. I will remind you that Vojislav Kostunica was the prime minister at the time. Everything that has been so done so far in the cooperation with NATO is defined in these documents, including the IPAP as the higher form of cooperation," the minister stated.

In its report about Dacic's statement, Beta agency noted that "the Democratic Party of Serbia yesterday (Tuesday) said the agreement between the government of Serbia and NATO on cooperation in the field of logistic support is 'very dangerous' and that NATO can abuse it, and urged Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic not to sign it into law."

Dacic on Wednesday said that "no act of the government of Serbia provides for participation in the Membership Action Plan, which NATO respects."

"All partner countries have both the SOFA agreement, and the agreement on logistic support. In our case, conditions are created for the modernization of the Technical Repair Institute in Kragujevac. And when it comes to SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) - this is a bilateral agreement, so our armed forces in NATO territory enjoy privileges as well, unlike the agreement signed by Tadic and Condoleezza Rice that gives privileges only to the U.S. military, something that Kostunica's government agreed to," said Dacic.

The minister then stated that the governments of Russia and Serbia on October 20, 2009 - during the visit of then President Dmitry Medvedev, in the presence of Tadic - signed an agreement on cooperation in the area of emergency humanitarian response, prevention of natural disasters and technogenic accidents and elimination of their consequences.

"It defines the establishment of the Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Center in Nis, as well as giving the Russian staff the legal status established for the administrative and technical staff of the embassy of Russia, in accordance with the 1961Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The issue of their diplomatic status has never been raised," said Dacic.