Defense minister meets with Russian counterpart

Defense minister meets with Russian counterpart

The officials concluded that the cooperation in the defense sector is improving every year, as supported by the 2015 Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan.

Gasic and Shoigu also said that the improvement of traditionally good relations between Serbia and Russia is further backed by the decision of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic that a unit of the Serbian army should take part in the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9.

Gasic "underscored that EU membership is one of Serbia's priorities, but he added this will not hinder the development of cooperation with all countries in the East and the West that are committed to improvement of relations based on mutual trust and respect."

He noted that Serbia's participation in the Partnership for Peace Program provides the optimum framework for cooperation with NATO in keeping with the proclaimed military-neutral stand.

While in Moscow, Gasic also discussed a purchase of two Russian military helicopters and cooperation between the two armies.

Gasic traveled to Russia the 4th Moscow International Security Conference and told Sputnik that he and Shoigu discussed training of ordnance disposal experts, and that 56 Serbian Army members should be sent to Russian military schools this year.

He is also pleased that Serbia was invited to participate in the May 9 military parade in Moscow.

Russia sees Serbia as a reliable partner when it comes to the military domain, Shoigu noted.

"Russia sees Serbia as an old, good, reliable and predictable partner, and the two countries' friendship is based on shared history, memories and heroic deeds by our ancestors," he added.

Commenting on the relations between Serbia and Russia, Gasic stated that they were headed in a positive direction.

"We had nine planned activities in 2012 as part of the military and military-technical cooperation, there were 16 in 2013, 26 in 2014, while 30 are planned for 2015. I hope there will be even more, taking into account unplanned activities as well," Gasic said.

Shoigu invited Serbian soldiers to take part in the military-technical forum Army-2015, and in the International Army Games. Gasic "assured Shoigu that Serbian soldiers will always take part in the tank biathlon," according to reports from Moscow.

The Serbian minister also announced that an engineering unit of the Serbian Army will participate in the next Army Games.