Govt. in two minds over NATO exercises

The government is considering whether sending Serbian Army (VS) officers to a NATO military exercise in Georgia is a wise move, given relations with Russia. Russia has informed NATO that it will not be taking part at a meeting with the alliance’s senior military personnel next month precisely because of the exercise in Georgia, a country Russia went to war with last summer. Govt. in two minds over NATO exercises The maneuvers in Georgia will take place from May 6 to June 2 as part of the Partnership for Peace program, with two Serbian officers due to take part. However, the government is now considering whether this would be a wise move politically, as Russia has not taken kindly to the exercises being held in a country with which it was at war only a year ago. Experts say that this backtracking by the Serbian leadership is yet more proof of the absence of a Serbian defense strategy. At the end of last year the government adopted a cooperation plan with the NATO Partnership for Peace program for 2009 and 2010. Under the plan, Serbia was due to send its officers to the upcoming exercises in Georgia. The exercises will be attended both by personnel from existing NATO member states, but also from prospective candidates, including Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia. The exercises will focus on training in reaction to crisis situations, said Defense Ministry State Secretary Dusan Spasojevic. “As part of the program that the government adopted, Serbia planned to take part at the HQ part of the exercises with its two representatives in the part for high command officers in the exercises’ command structures. One of the officers is an expert in civil military relations and the other is an expert in telecommunications and IT,” he explained. The government decided to hold further consultations over its participation after the Russian Foreign Ministry asked NATO to move the exercises out of Georgia on the grounds that it could not help stabilize the situation in the Caucusus, said Spasojevic. “When these activities were planned in the middle of last year, no conflict in the Caucusus region seemed imminent. We couldn’t tell that there was going to be a conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia, and rest assured that the government will take a decision in the coming days that will be in national interests,” said the state secretary. Military analyst Aleksandar Radic fears that this kind of wavering over an international exercise could leave the impression of Serbian indecisiveness. He explains that Serbia is not obliged to participate in all Partnership for Peace programs and that it cannot harm its chances of entering NATO, especially given that Serbia has no such ambitions at present. “One moment we’re trying to be American allies, establishing quality ties with NATO members. The next, we’re trying to hear what Moscow’s trying to tell us,” Radic notes. “Georgia has already been a point where Serbia has had to reanalyse its strategic direction. Earlier, arms exports to that country were suspended at a time when she was intensively preparing for war with Russia. Private firms’ income was sacrificed for the sake of strategic interest,“ he explains. The analyst believes that Serbia will once again have to take a strategic decision at political level.

Govt. in two minds over NATO exercises

The maneuvers in Georgia will take place from May 6 to June 2 as part of the Partnership for Peace program, with two Serbian officers due to take part.

However, the government is now considering whether this would be a wise move politically, as Russia has not taken kindly to the exercises being held in a country with which it was at war only a year ago.

Experts say that this backtracking by the Serbian leadership is yet more proof of the absence of a Serbian defense strategy.

At the end of last year the government adopted a cooperation plan with the NATO Partnership for Peace program for 2009 and 2010.

Under the plan, Serbia was due to send its officers to the upcoming exercises in Georgia.

The exercises will be attended both by personnel from existing NATO member states, but also from prospective candidates, including Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia.

The exercises will focus on training in reaction to crisis situations, said Defense Ministry State Secretary Dušan Spasojević.

“As part of the program that the government adopted, Serbia planned to take part at the HQ part of the exercises with its two representatives in the part for high command officers in the exercises’ command structures. One of the officers is an expert in civil military relations and the other is an expert in telecommunications and IT,” he explained.

The government decided to hold further consultations over its participation after the Russian Foreign Ministry asked NATO to move the exercises out of Georgia on the grounds that it could not help stabilize the situation in the Caucusus, said Spasojević.

“When these activities were planned in the middle of last year, no conflict in the Caucusus region seemed imminent. We couldn’t tell that there was going to be a conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia, and rest assured that the government will take a decision in the coming days that will be in national interests,” said the state secretary.

Military analyst Aleksandar Radić fears that this kind of wavering over an international exercise could leave the impression of Serbian indecisiveness.

He explains that Serbia is not obliged to participate in all Partnership for Peace programs and that it cannot harm its chances of entering NATO, especially given that Serbia has no such ambitions at present.

“One moment we’re trying to be American allies, establishing quality ties with NATO members. The next, we’re trying to hear what Moscow’s trying to tell us,” Radić notes.

“Georgia has already been a point where Serbia has had to reanalyse its strategic direction. Earlier, arms exports to that country were suspended at a time when she was intensively preparing for war with Russia. Private firms’ income was sacrificed for the sake of strategic interest,“ he explains.

The analyst believes that Serbia will once again have to take a strategic decision at political level.