Serbia, Italy discuss military cooperation

Serbia's and Italy's Defense Ministers Dragan Sutanovac and Giampaolo Di Paola met in Rome to discuss joint participation in EU and UN peacekeeping missions. The two ministers also talked about and joint appearance of the two countries' defense industry in the markets of Africa, Asia and the Far East. Serbia, Italy discuss military cooperation Sutanovac, who is on a working visit to Rome, told Tanjug that Italy was currently in the process of taking over the command of a large peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, where around 1,000 Italian soldiers were deployed. "We discussed the possibility of joint involvement in the mission, where the Serbian army currently has six officers. We also want to take part in EU peacekeeping missions, and in Operation Atalanta (in Somalia) where Italy has its ships," he noted. He added the two countries had a long history of military cooperation. "We have now laid new foundations for cooperation, primarily in education and training, both of our cadets and officers, and of special forces," Sutanovac said, adding he and his Italian counterpart also talked about cooperation of military institutions and the possibility of marketing joint products in third markets. According to him, the goal is to market joint products of the Military Technical Institute and its Italian partners in large markets such as Africa, Asia, the Far East and South America. Di Paola pointed out after the meeting that the two countries had longstanding special relations which will continue to develop and strengthen. He said educational exchanges of military personnel would continue in the future and added they had discussed the possibility of Serbia taking part in EU or UN operations carried out by Italy. “We are more then open to working together, once the Serbian government decides to take part,” stressed the Italian minister. He added that Italy strongly supports Serbia's accession to Euro-Atlantic institutions. “We are looking forward to it, we strongly believe in this and we will work on it inside the EU and bilaterally,” he pointed out. Di Paola also stated that Italy strongly supported Serbia's European path and hoped that the candidate status would be granted to Serbia in March, which was Serbia's key foreign policy and defense goal. Dragan Sutanovac (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Serbia, Italy discuss military cooperation

Šutanovac, who is on a working visit to Rome, told Tanjug that Italy was currently in the process of taking over the command of a large peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, where around 1,000 Italian soldiers were deployed.

"We discussed the possibility of joint involvement in the mission, where the Serbian army currently has six officers. We also want to take part in EU peacekeeping missions, and in Operation Atalanta (in Somalia) where Italy has its ships," he noted.

He added the two countries had a long history of military cooperation.

"We have now laid new foundations for cooperation, primarily in education and training, both of our cadets and officers, and of special forces," Šutanovac said, adding he and his Italian counterpart also talked about cooperation of military institutions and the possibility of marketing joint products in third markets.

According to him, the goal is to market joint products of the Military Technical Institute and its Italian partners in large markets such as Africa, Asia, the Far East and South America.

Di Paola pointed out after the meeting that the two countries had longstanding special relations which will continue to develop and strengthen.

He said educational exchanges of military personnel would continue in the future and added they had discussed the possibility of Serbia taking part in EU or UN operations carried out by Italy.

“We are more then open to working together, once the Serbian government decides to take part,” stressed the Italian minister.

He added that Italy strongly supports Serbia's accession to Euro-Atlantic institutions.

“We are looking forward to it, we strongly believe in this and we will work on it inside the EU and bilaterally,” he pointed out.

Di Paola also stated that Italy strongly supported Serbia's European path and hoped that the candidate status would be granted to Serbia in March, which was Serbia's key foreign policy and defense goal.